Reopening of Stepaside Garda Station ‘not political’

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.

Dónall Ó Cualáin was appearing before the Public Accounts Committee, which had requested him to give evidence on the failure to publish a report into the reopening of six stations, which had been in the Programme for Government.

A number of committee members questioned the criteria by which Stepaside had been selected for reopening and queried whether there had been any instructions to the gardaí from the Department of Justice on the matter.