Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:129. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her policy on rural policing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35190/15]
View answerTuesday, 20 October 2015
Questions (129)
Written answers
Tackling rural crime and burglaries remains a top priority for the Government and for An Garda Síochána. I am in close contact with the Garda Commissioner to ensure that the policing response is effective and that Garda operations take account of evolving trends and patterns in burglary offences, both in rural and urban areas.
In recent times, Garda strategy to counter burglaries and related crimes has been co-ordinated under Operation Fiacla, which is a national operation targeting burglary by using an intelligence and analysis-led approach. In support of Operation Fiacla, there are burglary related operations in place in each Garda Division.
Special targeted patrols have been implemented with the assistance of Garda National Support Services against criminal groups. These arrangements have also targeted the use of motorways by criminal gangs and have contributed to the arrest of a number of high-priority suspects.
The sustained Garda response under Operation Fiacla has produced many successes in disrupting those involved in this type of criminal activity. As of 31 August 2015, Operation Fiacla had led to 14,381 arrests, with 8,181 persons charged.
This Government has been determined to ensure that An Garda Síochána has the resources to deliver highly-mobile and responsive Garda patrols in both rural and urban communities. Since 2012, we have invested almost €29 million in renewing the Garda fleet to support front line Garda responses. So far this year 370 new vehicles have come on stream including new specialised vehicles. I informed the House today that I have secured an allocation of a further €5.3m to An Garda Síochána for the purchase of a further 260 vehicles between now and the end of the year. This new investment will provide the Gardaí with additional high powered vehicles, marked and unmarked patrol cars, cars for surveillance and covert operations, motor cycles for high visibility road policing and vehicles for public order policing. This investment in a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose Garda fleet will continue under the Government's Capital Plan 2016-2021 which provides an additional €46 million for new Garda vehicles over the life time of the Plan. The increased budget allocation for 2016 will also facilitate additional funding for Garda surveillance, special operations and targeted, intelligence-led policing.
This substantial level of investment will be accompanied by the continued renewal of Garda personnel with 600 new Garda to be recruited next year on top of the 550 to be recruited by the end of this year. The totality of this investment will ensure that Gardaí have the necessary tools and manpower to tackle the scourge of highly-mobile criminal gangs and to disrupt crime, particularly burglaries, across both rural and urban communities.