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Meath's crime figures raised at Public Accounts Committee

Meath's dramatic increase in crime was raised at  the Public Accounts Committee today by Deputy Shane Cassells who said the sharp increase showed the need to reopen garda stations, was of the utmost importance.
He said the gardaí’s refusal to release the report into the re-opening of the stations was “a blow to transparency” and would cause  huge anger around the country, especially the 139 areas where stations were closed or reduced to butter boxes. 
He pointed out that this week's Meath Chronicle's front page story was 'Shock rise in Crime Statistics.'
The committee was questioning Deputy Commissioner Donal O Cualáin as regards why Stepaside was deemed necessary for reopening.
Deputy Cassells said people around the country would find "smiley pictures of Minister Shane Ross with his local Stepaside councillor" hard to swallow.
 

Ó Cualáin said that he “does not have the authority to tell TDs why Stepaside, in particular, was chosen for reopening."
He did acknowledge that the decision to re-open a station is the Commissioner’s to make. He also said that ‘to his recollection’ four stations were initially under consideration for re-opening when the process began.
He said that, given the report into the reopening of stations was commissioned by the Minister for Justice, then it is up to that minister to release it.
“The final report will be released in the coming weeks and when that happens we will have clarity on the reopening of the six stations.”
 Asked whether or not he thought the re-opening of Stepaside could have been handled in a better fashion, Ó Cualáin replied:
“The only criteria I apply in doing my duty is Garda operational considerations. I’m aware of politics, but I can’t get involved in it.”