Gardaí have said the reopening of Stepaside Garda Station in Dublin may only be a temporary measure.

The process to reopen six former Garda stations has officially begun.

The assistant Garda Commissioner for Dublin has admitted the controversial re-opening of Stepaside Garda station in Transport Minister Shane Ross's constituency "would not have been my number one priority", writes Fiachra O'Cionnaith.

The garda in charge of deciding which stations should reopen has revealed he was asked by the former Garda commissioner for a report shortly before Stepaside in south Dublin was chosen.

A leading member of the cross-party Dáil public accounts committee has warned Government there is nothing in the now published Stepaside garda station re-opening report that changes her view what happened was a “political stroke”.

Questions about the Government decision to reopen Stepaside Garda Station in south Dublin have again been raised, amid fresh claims that the move was a political stroke, delivered by Transport Minister Shane Ross for his constituency.

Only around half of the 138 garda stations closed during the recession were considered to be in a position to be reopened in a special report to be presented to the Government.

The head of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Sean Fleming, has claimed the Government "infected the garda process" of deciding what Garda stations should be re-opened.

The acting Garda commissioner yesterday defended the reopening of Stepaside Garda Station, following accusations that it was a political stroke delivered by Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister Shane Ross.

Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin has apologised to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for misleading it over the release of a report into the controvesial re-opening of Stepaside Garda Station.

Independent Alliance Minister Shane Ross has been criticised after the reopening of Stepaside Garda Station was announced.

Large crowds turned out yesterday in the home constituency of Justice Minister Alan Shatter to demand a reversal of his controversial plans to close the Garda station in Stepaside, Co Dublin.