Written Answers Nos. 130-138
130. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide details as to the actions in the programme for Government regarding anti-social behaviour that have been implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43707/14]
View answer131. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide details regarding the expansion of community policing partnerships and forums during the lifetime of this Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43708/14]
View answer132. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide details of the enhanced role that community policing is now playing, as promised by Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43709/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 130 to 132, inclusive, together.
An Garda Síochána continue to implement a range of strategies based on existing legislation and enhancing partnerships with local communities.
A range of strong legislative provisions are available to an An Garda Síochána to combat anti-social behaviour, including provisions under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Acts, the Criminal Damage Act and the Intoxicating Liquor Acts. There are also the incremental provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act 2006 which provide for warnings and civil proceedings in relation to anti-social behaviour by adults and Part 13 of the Act which provide for warnings, good behaviour contracts and civil proceedings in relation to anti-social behaviour by children.
The National Model of Community Policing is directed and supported each year by the Garda Síochána Annual Policing and the 2014 Plan underlines the importance of community based policing. An Garda Síochána continue to tackle public disorder and anti-social behaviour by working with communities and business groups, including the hospitality industry, to reduce this type of behaviour and enhance community safety. This approach includes a strong focus on quality of life issues and collaboration with local authorities to help address the causes of anti-social behaviour.
Particular developments in recent years include, the national 'Garda Supporting Safer Communities Campaign' which reaffirms the community policing ethos through the hosting of various local activities and as part of which Gardaí give important Crime Prevention and Road Safety Advice. In addition new Garda Community Crime Prevention Guidelines, which build on the work of existing partnership programmes such as Neighbourhood Watch and Community Alert, were published in January 2013. The guidelines give information and advice to help establish new community "watch" groups and also to revitalise existing groups where necessary.
Furthermore, a new Garda Text Alert Scheme, which was launched in September 2013, was piloted initially in a number of locations and developed in cooperation with Muintir na Tíre, Neighbourhood Watch, the Irish Farmers Association and related stakeholders. It provides a further mechanism for Gardaí to provide crime prevention information to community contacts who in turn forward the information to all members of a community groups. During the first year of the Text Alert system over 600,000 texts have been sent, alerting individuals and communities across Ireland to potential criminal activity in their local area. There are over 450 Text Alert Groups in towns and villages throughout Ireland with more than 80,000 people signing-up to the scheme.
I am pleased to say that my Department continues to provide funding for the Community Alert programme, administered by Muintir na Tíre in partnership with the Gardaí, which supports the operation of over 1,300 local groups. An Garda Síochána also supports the operation of approximately 2,500 Neighbourhood Watch groups countrywide.
In August this year, in line with the commitments in the Programme for Government, I published new guidelines for the operation of Joint Policing Committees (JPCs) which have an important role in supporting local community policing partnerships. The guidelines were finalised following a wide ranging consultation process and take account of the general reforms in local government structures. The new JPC guidelines emphasise the need for collaborative approaches between all stakeholders to address local issues. They also underline the need for enhanced communication between JPCs, which have a strategic coordinating role, and the full range of local and community based fora which can contribute to the enhancement of community safety and support effective policing responses.
133. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the juvenile liaison officer scheme has been expanded since 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43710/14]
View answer134. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Garda juvenile diversion programme has been expanded since 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43711/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.
The Garda Diversion Programme operates in accordance with Part 4 of the Children Act 2001, as amended, and under the general superintendence and control of the Garda Commissioner. The aim of the Diversion Programme, through the network of Juvenile Liaison Officers is to deal with young people who offend, by way of administering a formal or informal caution, thus diverting the young offender away from the Courts and minimising the likelihood of further offending. The programme embraces, whenever possible, the principles of restorative justice and, at all times, pays the highest regard to the needs of the victims. The programme has proven to be highly successful in diverting young people away from crime by offering guidance and support to the them and their families.
The work of the Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers under the Diversion Programme is supported by the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) through the funding and oversight of 100 Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) across the country. While it has not been possible to expand the support provided by the projects to the Diversion Programme since 2011, the budget in 2014 for the GYDPs remains the same as the budget allocated in 2013.
An Annual Report of the Committee appointed to monitor the effectiveness of the Diversion Programme published each year gives details of the resources deployed by the Commissioner in relation to the Programme. These are set out in the table.
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013* |
2014* |
|
No of JLO posts |
123 |
123 |
123 |
124 |
|
No. in post |
117 |
117 |
118 |
122 |
*The 2013 report is currently being finalised. Figures provided by the Commissioners Office.
135. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the role of restorative justice has expanded during the lifetime of this Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43712/14]
View answerThe Probation Service Restorative Justice Strategy, published in 2013, provides a framework for informed, effective and integrated Restorative Justice practice. The strategy builds on the work of the Probation Service in this area to date and focuses on the further development of evidence informed interventions which engage victims, offenders and the community in addressing the consequences of crime. Extending the range of restorative justice schemes is a strategic priority for the Probation Service.
The Restorative Justice Service based in Tallaght has been extended to the Criminal Courts of Justice and to the Courts in South County Dublin, while the Nenagh Community Reparation Project has been extended to the Courts in North Tipperary, Offaly and Cork and commenced operation under its new name "Restorative Justice in the Community" in 2013. Young Persons Probation in partnership with Le Chéile Mentoring continue to manage the Limerick Restorative Justice initiative.
Both the Community Service scheme and the more recently established Community Return programme operate primarily from a reparative model. Both of these models require offenders to address the indirect harm their offending behaviour has caused to the community by performing unpaid supervised work benefiting that community.
136. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the detailed cost of Operation Freeflow for the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43714/14]
View answer137. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason Operation Freeflow has not been implemented this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43715/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that 'Operation Open City' replaced 'Operation Freeflow' with effect from 2012 and is due to commence in the Dublin Metropolitan Region on 7 December, 2014. The operation is expected to continue until 24 December, 2014. I am further informed that the operation is conducted in conjunction with relevant stakeholders including the National Transport Authority, National Roads Authority and the Dublin City Business Association. The overall objective of the operation is to facilitate the effective movement of public transport throughout the region and to minimise disruption to the general public through targeted Garda high visibility enforcement activity. I am further informed that the information held by An Garda Síochána in relation to policing costs is not recorded in such a manner as to provide the average cost of operation Freeflow over the past five years.
138. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the details of the headline offences recorded and detailed for each of the districts within the Dublin metropolitan area for the years 2009 to 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43716/14]
View answerThe Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose.
I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy.
