A female garda cannot be assigned to a busy station in a town in Co Kerry because it lacks basic facilities that would accommodate both male and female personnel.
The town of Castleisland (pop. 3,100) is often left without a garda presence while arrests, including public order arrests at weekends, are processed in a station 20 miles away because the station has no cell or detention facilities.
As well as an area of 96 square miles around the main Limerick-Kerry thoroughfare, the station is often responsible for immigration police duties at Kerry airport, which has a throughput of more than 100,000 passengers annually.
Garda Pat O'Sullivan, chairman of the GRA subcommittee on accommodation, said the problems were particularly acute at weekends as the town had a number of nightclubs and busy bars.
When arrests are made, the town is left without a Garda presence for up to two hours, a matter of grave concern to business people.
The original station, which is now to be put up for sale, was damaged in an arson attack almost three years ago.
But this station, too, was inadequate, as were the temporary buildings that were subsequently provided, Garda O'Sullivan explained.
"We are extremely concerned. The health and safety of our members is at risk as well," he said.
Mr Jimmy Deenihan TD (Fine Gael) raised the accommodation difficulties in Castleisland in the Dáil on Thursday night. Gardaí in Castleisland are kept busy, with 300 summonses and warrants already this year, he told the House.
There are 600 licensed firearms holders in the area to be supervised, and road traffic on the two national primary routes, the N21 and N22, is part of their duty.
Two extra gardaí for whom there is need have been approved but cannot be assigned because of the lack of accommodation, Mr Deenihan said.
Before the last general election the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr John O'Donoghue, had promised community leaders a station, Mr Deenihan claimed.