Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 4

Written Answers. - Operation Dóchas.

Noel Ahern

Question:

215 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice if he will give details of the individual Garda Stations in Dublin; the number of these stations which have had extra gardaí allocated under the New Drugs Initiative to allocate 500 gardaí to deal with the problem; the stations or divisions from which they were withdrawn; and if these transfers are permanent. [19020/96]

Tony Gregory

Question:

233 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí assigned to Operation Dóchas; the number deployed to each Garda District in Dublin; and the duties and functions of these gardaí. [19354/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 233 together.

There are 45 Garda stations in the Dublin Metropolitan Area. The detailed allocation of Garda personnel and resources to different areas is a matter for the Garda authorities. They have informed me that the policing requirements of the Dublin Metropolitan Area are continually monitored by the Assistant Commissioner responsible for the area with a view to ensuring that Garda resources are deployed to optimum benefit. The Garda authorities report that at present they are satisfied that all resources in the Dublin Metropolitan Area, including uniform, detective and specialist units, are deployed effectively and are sufficient to meet current policing needs.

The Garda authorities have reviewed their operations in regard to combating the drugs problem in Dublin city and the Garda Commissioner announced a new strategy, Operation Dóchas, which came into effect on 7 October 1996. The new strategy is in operation in all Dublin districts and involves the deployment of in excess of 500 uniformed and plain-clothes gardaí. Uniformed gardaí adopt a high profile through both foot patrols and mobile patrols and work to forge greater links with local communities, both community leaders and individual families. The allocation of resources varies from district, depending on the priority needs of each area.

The Garda authorities inform me that this operation has not involved the allocation of additional gardaí to the Dublin Metropolitan Area from other areas but, of course, was facilitated by the return of more than 160 Dublin based gardaí from temporary Border duties earlier this month. Operation Dóchas is a community based strategic policing operation and while the predominant emphasis of the operation is drugs, it also extends to crime generally and all policing matters. The Garda authorities are not in favour of detailed disclosure of Garda strategies, functions and so on in relation to this operation on the basis that it would prove counterproductive. I accept their professional judgment on this score.