While the crime rate in Dublin increases faster than any other capital city in Europe, Harcourt Terrace garda station is to be sold with the estimated 40m proceeds from the prime site being used to build affordable homes elsewhere.

Mountjoy station in the north inner city also faces closure as part of the government's decision to sell the nearby prison and build Thornton Hall in Rolestown.

The future of the nearby Fitzgibbon Street station is also "under review", according to a spokesman for the Office of Public Works which looks after all government properties. The station will either be refurbished or, as considered more likely, closed altogether.

Other Dublin stations under threat from the Garda Commissioner's review of operations include Sundrive Road, Kill O' The Grange and Dalkey stations on the south side of the city. Two years ago, a comprehensive report into garda operations recommended that any garda station in the Dublin area within two kilometres of a divisional headquarters should operate reduced opening hours.

But a spokesperson for justice minister Michael McDowell said that the situation has "changed significantly" and under the Garda Siochana Act, 2005, "decisions on reducing the opening hours of stations are a matter for local garda management". "The minister has no plans to reduce opening hours or close any Garda station, " she said.

However, the spokeswoman added that a review group set up by the Garda Commissioner "has been tasked with conducting an impact assessment of the possible closure/amalgamation/reducing opening hours of garda stations in the Dublin Metropolitan area".

With regard to what the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors described as the "disgraceful and clandestine" sale of Harcourt Terrace, the 80 gardai involved will stay put until 2008. They will then be moved over to new permanent premises attached to Kevin Street station which the OPW plan to have completed by then. The AGSI had already warned Minister McDowell that they would support any action by the gardai involved if, as suggested, the gardai were to be moved into portakabins in Kevin Street.