Stepaside ‘was the obvious station to reopen’

IT WAS “obvious” that Stepaside was the Dublin Garda station that should be prioritised for reopening on the basis of the criteria set out by the Government, according to the Assistant Garda Commissioner who made the recommendation.

But John O’Driscoll also insisted he is conducting his study of which six Garda stations should be reopened independently, and said: “I can say categorically no person has come to me asking that a specific station be opened.”

The issue is controversial after Stepaside was the only station recommended for definite reopening in Mr O’Driscoll’s interim report delivered to Government in June.

Independent Alliance Minister Shane Ross (inset) had been campaigning for it to reopen and Opposition TDs have claimed it amounts to “stroke politics”, an allegation denied by the Government.

Mr O’Driscoll was appearing before the Oireachtas Justice Committee where he said that the criteria set out included that the stations considered must still be in State ownership. He said this made the decision easier in Dublin than anywhere else in the country because there were just four in that category. “On the basis of the criteria provided to us it was, I think, obvious that Stepaside would be number one out of the four.”

He said this was due to population growth and noted that he has suggested that if a second station in Dublin is to reopen it should be Rush. Other stations listed for possible reopening in the interim report were Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, and Donard, Co Wicklow.

Mr O’Driscoll said that former commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan had contacted him in relation to delivering interim reports, including before his second interim report was sent to Government in June.

His final report is expected to be finished in two weeks.

Fianna Fáil TD Jack Chambers claimed Garda management has been “absolutely framed and thrown under a bus by Government in relation to this issue”.

Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy said he completely disagreed and said all governments had a right to express an opinion on policing matters.