An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-27
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William Aird (FG), Laois

First, I thank the Taoiseach for making his very successful trip to China and the rewards we got as a result of it.
I raise the issue of Portarlington Garda station in County Laois and ask that its operation be restored to a full-time, 24-hour service. Portarlington is the second-largest town in Laois with a population of 9,000 people. The station serves not only the town but a wider area, including Emo, Killenard and Ballybrittas. It is a significant concern to the local community that this is a large area and served by a part-time Garda station. Residents do not have a nearby front desk and are forced to travel to Portlaoise for passport verification, to report incidents and to get community support. I recognise the work being done to strengthen Garda numbers nationally. However, given Portarlington's size, growth and location, I strongly believe the town needs a Garda station operating 24 hours a day. I ask the Taoiseach to engage with the Minister for justice and An Garda Síochána to make the opening of this station 24-7 a priority.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-27/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:01+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-27