WATCH: Laois TD calls for 24 hour Garda Station in Portarlington

Laois TD Willie Aird raised the issue of Portarlington Garda Station in the Dáil during Questions on Promised Legislation, calling for the station to be restored to a full-time 24-hour service.

The second largest town in County Laois has a population of about 9,000, and the station also serves surrounding communities such as Emo, Killenard and Ballybrittas.

“It is a significant concern to the local community that such a large area is currently served by a part-time Garda station,” Deputy Aird said. “Residents are being forced to travel to Portlaoise for essential services such as passport verification, reporting incidents and accessing community support,” he said. 

The Fine Gael TD acknowledged the national improvements in Garda recruitment but said Portarlington needs a full-time service.

“While I recognise the progress being made nationally in strengthening Garda numbers, given Portarlington’s size, growth and location, I strongly believe the town needs a Garda station operating 24 hours a day,” he added.

Urged the Taoiseach to prioritise the issue, Deputy Aird said, “I would ask you to engage with the Minister for Justice and Garda Síochána to make this a priority for the opening of this station.”

In response, Taoiseach Micheál Martin acknowledged the importance of Portarlington as a sizeable town and confirmed that recruitment from Templemore is progressing well. He also committed to discussing the matter with the Minister for Justice to explore options for restoring full-time operations.