Vol. 649 No. 1
90 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí currently assigned to community policing; if he will confirm that this represents less than 4% of the overall strength of the force; if he has plans to increase the number of community gardaí; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8981/08]
The latest available figures show that there are 630 members of the Garda Síochána assigned to community policing, compared to a total attested strength of 13,755. This represents 4.58% of the total strength of the force. As with any large organisation, these figures can fluctuate from day to day, for example, due to promotions, retirements and transfers.
While this is the number of gardaí specifically assigned to community policing, all gardaí have a role to play in addressing community policing issues. In that sense, community policing involves far more than a single unit within the Garda Síochána and I agree with the view of the Garda inspectorate, expressed in its most recent report, that community policing is a fundamental policing philosophy and that there is a strong foundation for it in Ireland.
It is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner to decide on the prioritisation and allocation of resources within the force. Against this background, he is reviewing arrangements within the Garda Síochána for community policing. I welcome this and I look forward to its outcome and to hearing what the Commissioner proposes for the future development of community policing.
Is it not the case that when the Minister says every garda is a community garda we are engaged in a dialogue of the deaf? That is not what community policing means. It is not what the inspectorate meant when it commented on the desirability of community policing. It is to do with the visible presence of gardaí patrolling, talking to people they know and living in the community. That is not happening. That the Minister can say that 4.5% of the manpower is allocated to community policing suggests that there is no commitment to the philosophy of community policing to which the Minister pays lip service.
There is no special tangible arrangement for a grade of community garda and no evidence that residents in communities that suffer from anti-social behaviour and other kinds of low level crime — nonetheless injurious for that — are able to access a garda when they need one. The time has come for a complete reorganisation and reorientation so that there is an adequate number of gardaí on bikes or foot patrol, getting to know the people and their problems in a community. A community garda will be the first to be called off his or her usual duty and reassigned to something else.
Where community policing works it is an almost unmitigated success, according to the people, the residents' associations and the gardaí, but the Minister cannot get away with the semantic proposition that every garda is a community garda. Is the lack of success of the civilianisation programme in which hundreds of gardaí are behind desks community policing because they interface with the public? Are gardaí dealing with traffic offences or those in the serious crime unit community gardaí because they interface with some members of the public? There is no commitment in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to true community policing, as expressed in many international documents and as supported by the Garda inspectorate here.
There are gardaí in specialist units, whether involved in security, serious crime, national immigration bureau or plain clothes work, who are not publically visible. The gardaí who are visible are not restricted to the category of community policeman. It is not the case that only gardaí on patrol or on bicycles are community policemen. The presence of gardaí in the community is not solely or exclusively dependent on community policemen. That is an incontestable fact.
I do not wish to have a "dialogue of the deaf" but I do wish to point out that community police perform an extremely valuable role in accessing local intelligence and liaising with local residents, but many of these problems are well identified and require a stronger and more vigorous Garda presence so they can be tackled than a solitary community policeman. They also require the deployment of far more substantial resources than a community policeman.
It seems from the Minister's successive replies on this issue that his concept of the community garda is somewhat less than international best practice would advise. In the circumstances there is no great change in what we are looking at, other than a label. To my mind, that is wholly insufficient to meet the needs of modern communities. The Minister adverted earlier to the fact that one of the major impediments to community policing — adding to the type of anti-social behaviour which is rampant throughout the country — is the widespread availability of alcohol. The link between anti-social behaviour in communities and alcohol deserves urgent consideration on the part of the Minister. Notwithstanding the ministerial reviews he has announced, will the Minister confirm to the House that the current review and forthcoming report will be treated more seriously by him and his Department than its predecessors under the chairmanship of Dr. Holmes? I invite the Minister to——
I am trying to facilitate two more Deputies.
——commit to the House to take steps to restrict the number of outlets. In 2007, we saw 637 new off-licences.
We have strayed beyond the terms of this question.
The previous year there were 547 new off-licences. No wonder we have a problem in communities, and a situation whereby crime and drink are causing major concern.
I agree with Deputy Charles Flanagan. I have not instituted any reviews, plural. I have instituted a review and it is short and focused. It ends at the end of this month and——
That will be the most unusual review ever.
——it will eventuate in legislation which will address this problem. I am anxious to get that legislation through the House before the summer and I hope I can receive the co-operation of the different parties in the House. We are not going to be able to deal with all the problems in a short Bill to be enacted before the summer, but we can at least begin to address the problem. I am not convinced the problem, given its scale, can be tackled by one Bill put through the House before the summer.
As regards the previous work——
Is the Minister dampening expectations? That is not what he said at Christmas.
I am not, and I am very open to any proposals the Opposition may wish to bring forward as well. However, as regards Dr. Holmes's previous studies, on my appointment as Minister he contacted me and expressed specific concern that in his earlier work the terms of reference did not permit him to address the issue of the harmful effects of alcohol in the context of any review of legislation. One thing is very clear and that is——
The Minister is straying from the terms of the question.
——that further extensions in the opening hours for licensed premises or the establishment of café bar type arrangements would be quite disastrous in this context.
The question is on community policing. I wanted to bring in Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Andrew Doyle very briefly.
I met a chief superintendent recently and he said that——
The Deputy should please ask his question.
——the number of gardaí dealing with traffic is ringfenced. Would the Minister consider ringfencing the number of gardaí on community policing, given the value he placed on this initiative in his contribution earlier? The number should be ringfenced and encouragement given towards preventing the high turnover in community police.
It goes without saying that all gardaí have responsibility towards the communities they service. The vision I have of a community policeman is someone who is highly visible, and uses the media almost the same way that politicians do, so that he or she is known right throughout the town or district concerned. He or she must be seen in many clubs, handing out prizes. Instead of being reactors, they should be preventers of crime taking place and work with the social services much of the time. Does the Minister intend to provide any guidance to the Garda as regards a specific definition of community policing? It is loose at the moment. To say that all gardaí are community police is diluting the term, which needs to be more focused.
I agree with Deputy Doyle and that is why the Commissioner is undertaking this review — to arrive at a more precise definition of the responsibilities of the community policeman.
As regards Deputy Ó Snodaigh's point concerning the ringfencing of traffic gardaí, many countries have a separate traffic corps. In this jurisdiction, my predecessor maintained — I agree with him — that it is valuable to have the traffic corps as a direct part of the Garda Síochána. It requires a separate dedicated assignment of personnel, however. It is not desirable in other matters to have too rigid a division between community policemen and gardaí in local stations. All of them exist to serve the community in the prevention, investigation and detection of crime.
91 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of members of An Garda Síochána trained to use firearms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9063/08]
I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of 28 February 2008, there are 3,377 members of the Garda Síochána who are competent in the use of firearms and who are authorised firearms card holders. This includes members of specialist units such as the special detective unit as well as a percentage of uniformed gardaí. A Garda working group on firearms training recommended that not more than 10% of the uniformed divisional strength, in addition to the detective branch, should be authorised or trained in firearms. This enables high standards of training to be focused first and foremost on those members attached to units which are engaged in the investigation of serious crime and who are available when required.
An Garda Síochána has just taken delivery of a dedicated firearms training range at the Garda College, Templemore. This is an indoor four-lane modular live fire range. A second similar indoor four-lane modular live fire range is being installed in Dublin and it is envisaged this range will be operational by April 2008. These prefabricated modular firearms ranges are newly designed products and will facilitate live fire shooting for up to four persons in a carefully contained environment which adheres to all range safety requirements.
In April 2007, Chief Inspector Kathleen O'Toole said she was frightened at the resources available to members of the Garda Síochána, in terms of firearms and protective clothing. Has that situation improved? She gave a particular incident to which gardaí were called where a person was using a serious weapon outside his own house. In the event, the gardaí turned up with just a Smith and Wesson revolver to deal with the situation.
Will the Minister assure the House that firearms and bullet-proof vests available to the Garda Síochána are of an approved standard? Is he satisfied that sufficient numbers of gardaí are competent in using firearms?
The fundamental question asked by the Deputy related to training. I have outlined in my answer the new initiatives which have been taken to ensure training in the use of firearms is first-class. I have looked at the facilities available in Templemore and I am satisfied they are of the highest standard and will ensure that the continuous training which the Garda Síochána requires in this area will be provided. That is a major improvement on the position commented on by the chief inspector. As regards the particular weapons that may be used by the Garda Síochána, that is an operational matter for the Commissioner. I will be guided by him as regards what is required to ensure the force is effective.
As regards the arrangements made to provide protective body armour, at present two types are in use by the Garda Síochána. All detectives are issued with protective vests that have bullet and stab-proof properties. Uniformed personnel are issued with protection vests, which incorporate bullet and stab-proof properties.
I welcome the Minister's statement that the facilities have been upgraded. Is the Minister confident there are sufficient trainers available as well as the equipment and ammunition for members of the Garda Síochána to train in firearms use? Has the Commissioner brought to the Minister's attention the desire for additional weaponry for the Garda Síochána and what steps are being taken to ensure gardaí, as appropriate, have proper training in all the weapons currently issued to the force?
As I indicated in my reply, I am satisfied with the training arrangements as regards the use of firearms. On the supply of further weaponry, I will be guided by any requests made by the Commissioner in that regard.
I asked whether the Commissioner made any requests.
Not to my knowledge.
The firing range at Garda headquarters was closed down in 2005, after which the Garda had to rent one. Is the Minister confident that the standard of training has been maintained since 2005 given that he has revealed that a specialist training range has only just been delivered?
I am confident that every effort was made in the interim to maintain a high standard. The new provision in Templemore is of an excellent standard and similar provision will be available in Dublin from April of this year.
92 Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans for the establishment of the new Garda organised crime unit; the personnel and resources that will be made available to the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8964/08]
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the organised crime unit was established on a temporary basis in November 2005 to actively target organised criminal gangs. It was initially established with officers seconded from various units. In January of this year, the unit was established on a permanent basis and full-time staff have been assigned to it. This new status has been awarded to the unit given the successes it has enjoyed over the past two years and in the light of the significant threat which continues to be posed by organised crime.
In order to disrupt organised criminality, Garda operations are regularly put in place targeting both individuals and members of organised crime gangs who are suspected of involvement in criminal activity. An Garda Síochána will continue to use intelligence-led operations against selected targets. The success of operations such as Oak and Anvil are examples of recent Garda successes.
The organised crime unit is being led by an officer at superintendent rank. This officer reports to the assistant commissioner in charge of national support services via the chief superintendent in charge of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The unit currently operates with a staff of 70 members. The allocation of this number of gardaí allows the unit to operate effectively against criminal gangs, and to carry out intelligence-led operations targeting their criminal activities. The Garda Commissioner is keeping the strength of the unit under review, particularly as extra gardaí become available as the strength of the force increases.
It would be a mistake for anyone in this House to assume that the 70 staff in the new organised crime unit comprise the only resource working to combat organised crime. The Garda Commissioner utilises all of the resources available to him, whether they are from the specialist units, regional divisions or local police stations to address this problem.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
The new unit will continue to work closely with the other specialist units, including the Garda national drugs unit, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the special detective unit and the emergency response unit in targeting those suspected of involvement in organised criminal activity. The new organised crime unit has already been successful in identifying, profiling and targeting suspects associated with the main criminal gangs. A number of organised crime groups have been targeted in this manner recently, on foot of which firearms have been recovered and drugs seized. This has resulted in a number of people associated with these groups being prosecuted and convicted before the courts.
The Garda Commissioner and other senior gardaí will continue to monitor circumstances as they develop to ensure that the resources available to tackle particular problem areas are sufficient and appropriate.
I tabled this question because I support the Minister and the Garda Commissioner in establishing the specialist crime unit. The Minister stated the unit was established on a temporary basis last November. Is it now permanent? Is it based exclusively in Dublin and are the members from other parts of the country? From what other sections of the Garda were personnel transferred to the unit? Does the unit share personnel with the drug squad, bearing in mind that drug trafficking is the genesis of much of the serious crime in the country? Will the Minister state whether drugs are a main focus of the specialist crime unit?
The unit was established temporarily in November 2005 and it was in this year that it was decided to establish it on a permanent basis. Officers were seconded from various units. While the detection of drugs offences is a principle responsibility of the unit, it is not the only one. Organised crime takes other forms also, including, for example, the acquisition of firearms. The unit is constantly addressing the procurement of firearms. Systematic burglaries and other types of organised crime can be targeted by the unit.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
