A new Garda station is set to open on Dublin's O'Connell Street in a bid to tackle drug dealing and anti-social behaviour in the city centre.
At a meeting of Fine Gael's parliamentary party on Wednesday, Minster for Justice Helen McEntee confirmed the new Garda station will open on O'Connell Street in the coming months.
It comes after comments made by Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan in the Dáil that there are not enough Gardaí patrolling at night.
"Gangs of youths who believe they are immune to apprehension are prowling Dublin city at nighttime looking for people to attack," Mr O'Callaghan said.
"We need to understand that part of the solution is that Dublin needs to become more like other European cities.
"If you go to other European cities you see a good number of policemen patrolling those inner cities at nighttime.
"We don't have enough Gardaí on the streets at nighttime."
According to The Irish Times, both Operation Citizen and Operation Spire, which aim to target anti-social behaviour and drug dealing, will run from the premises.
There are also plans for potential victim support services at the new station.
The station is set to be located at 13 O'Connell Street, which was previously used as a Citizens Information office.
