The championed new Garda station at the heart of Dublin city centre aimed at cracking down on anti-social behaviour will close at 2am.
his is despite most late night bars and clubs in that area closing at around that time
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar shifted the responsibility for the closing time onto Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, saying it is ultimately his decision what time the new Garda station will close.
“After 2am, we want to have our resources on the street as opposed to in buildings but ultimately, it’ll be the Garda Commissioner’s decision as to what the opening hours are and how Gardaí are deployed,” he said at the opening of the station.
Mr Varadkar said the new station will help to clamp down on anti-social behaviour and drug dealing in the area.
“I know a lot of people who come to O’Connell street and I was only here on Sunday night myself to go to the cinema and I was talking to people. They often say to me [that] they feel unsafe,” he said.
“I think it’ll enable people to come into the city centre, to come into O’Connell street and feel a bit more comfortable, feel a bit more safer.”
The Taoiseach said lighting and landscaping in an area also plays a part in helping people “feel” safe.
He said 1,000 extra Gardaí will be recruited this year but said the entry age of 35 and retirement age of 60 is being reviewed.
He said the Government will shortly look at proposals for Garda pensions.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) is set to hold “a day of action” next Monday in a row with Garda management over proposed new rosters.
Mr Varadkar said it is a “very important issue which needs to be resolved”.
He said rosters need to ensure Gardaí are available to the public but also “respect family life”.
“The right process, the right place to sort this out is in the Workplace Relations Commission.
“Everyone accepts we need to reform and modernise our rosters so Gardaí are available when the public need them to be available.”
