Carol Nolan
Question:
590. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if changes have been made with respect to the way rural crime is recorded and classified following the recommendation of the March 2019 report on community policing and rural crime from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8112/21]
View answer
I have requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this matter but it was unfortunately not possible to compile it in the time available.
I will write to the Deputy directly with the information requested, when it is available.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
SUBSTANTIVE ANSWER:
I refer to Parliamentary Question Number 590 for answer on 17 February 2021, in which you asked if changes have been made with respect to the way rural crime is recorded and classified following the recommendation of the March 2019 Report on Community Policing and Rural Crime from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality.
You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and to contact you again when the information became available.
I can assure the Deputy that I am very much aware of the impact of crime on rural communities and I am committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible community policing right across rural Ireland.
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future , underlines the need for close engagement between An Garda Síochána and local communities. This is an essential feature of the strong community policing ethos which has long been central to policing in this jurisdiction. Consequently, the Programme for Government commits to prioritising visible policing in rural and urban communities.
An Garda Síochána has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion for 2021. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff.
There are now approximately 14,500 Garda members and over 3,000 Garda staff nationwide and Budget 2021 will allow for the recruitment of up to 450 new Gardaí and an extra 500 Garda staff, subject to the public health restrictions governing the operation of the Garda College, Templemore.
There will also be continued investment in the Garda Fleet of €8 million in addition to the highest ever investment of approximately €15 million in the Garda Transport Fleet in 2020 – a proportion of which relates to the Garda Covid response.
The Winter Phase of Operation Thor began on 1 October 2020 and will run until the end of March 2021. Operation Thor is designed to specifically tackle the increase in the number of burglaries and associated criminal activity that usually occurs in the winter months by undertaking targeted enforcement and preventative activity.
This initiative has successfully reduced the rate of residential burglaries at this time of year by 41% since its introduction in 2015.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that there have not been any changes made with respect to the way rural crime is recorded and classified following the recommendation of the March 2019 Report on Community Policing and Rural Crime from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality.
I hope this information is of assistance.
