John Deasy
Question:45 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans there are to civilianise the administrative functions of the Garda Síochána in order to release gardaí from desk duties. [23848/02]
Ceisteanna – Questions (Resumed). Priority Questions. - Garda Administration.
There are almost 900 civilian clerical and administrative staff employed to support the Garda. In November 1997, the Government accepted in principle the recommendations set out in the report of the steering group on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Garda. The review was conducted within the framework of the strategic management initiative in the public service and the report contained a number of recommendations requiring a more comprehensive development of issues relating to the organisation, operations, financing, performance and accountability of the Garda. The potential for further civilianisation within the force was recognised in the report, which stated that it would allow for certain jobs to be done at a more economic cost, free gardaí to perform work more suited to their training and increase the operational capacity of the force.
In January 1998, the Government established a new Garda SMI steering group to develop the report's recommendations for implementation. A bottom-up review group was established to focus on organisational structures and systems and the deployment of operational resources and to make recommendations to the steering group with regard to those areas. As the Deputy will be aware, in October 2001 the Government approved the report on civilianisation in the Garda which recommended a programme to civilianise 496 technical and administrative posts occupied by gardaí to allow for the release of Garda members for operational policing. These posts are located in Garda headquarters, in the Garda college and in districts and divisions throughout the country.
A working group comprising representatives of the Garda and my Department is overseeing implementation of the report and it is envisaged that posts will be civilianised on a phased basis over a number of years. The initial tranche of civilianisation has already commenced and it is anticipated that approximately 60 clerical officers will be assigned to replace gardaí at various locations shortly.
A lack of funding for the additional 2,000 gardaí promised in the programme for Government is evident from the Estimates and that is the context in which this question has to be considered. I presume the Minister had a hand in authoring the justice aspect of that programme. Will the additional 2,000 gardaí be appointed?
Question No. 49 deals more directly with that issue, but I see the connection between civilianisation and the operational strength of the Garda. I accept the Deputy's implication that to argue civilianisation of functions releases more gardaí to perform operational duties would not be to comply with the letter of the programme for Government. I am anxious to progress civilianisation as an aim in itself. Recently, the rifle and gaming lobbies visited me and pointed out that there are 200,000 licensed firearms which are administered by the Garda. Allowing one hour per licence per annum, which would be the minimum paper pushing operation, means that 200,000 Garda man hours are being wasted because 100 gardaí are obliged to devote themselves full-time to a licensing system which could be administered by civilians under Garda supervision. That is just one of the areas in which I hope to be able to move gardaí from behind desks to operational areas.
I take the Deputy's point and I will reply to it when responding to Question No. 49. Additional resources will be required to increase the strength of the Garda as set out in the programme for Government.
I will take that as a "No", but we shall wait to see what the Minister has to say later.
Able bodied gardaí are performing desk duties in divisions throughout the country when they should be out on the streets. Every garda to whom I have spoken is very concerned about this state of affairs. The Minister used the good example of firearms licensing, but there are plenty of others. The fines system has expanded over the past five to ten years and there are gardaí dedicated full-time to it who could be put on the beat.
The process of bringing civil servants to particular stations has to be considered. Ideally, the Commissioner should be the one to hire these people and it should be done on a micro level to ensure that a divisional superintendent can choose employees locally. That is important because in many cases civil servants from Dublin will not be suitable candidates to work in these stations.
I agree with the Deputy. It is desirable in the upcoming managerial revolution in the Garda that the maximum devolution of operational competence to divisions should take place. That will allow choices to be made effectively, rather than in a top-down, ideological way.