Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 January 2016
283. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to return community Garda Síochána levels to pre-cut levels; and if community policing is vital for community relations, and in certain cases a more approachable Garda Síochána service. [3002/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the overall number of personnel available to An Garda Síochána at the end of December 2015 was close to 16,000 comprising 12,817 Gardaí, 953 Garda Reserve members and over 2,000 civilians. I am further informed that the number of Community Garda on 31 December 2015, was 807.
This Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the capacity to provide effective and visible policing throughout the country. A crucial element of the Government's strategy is ensuring ongoing seamless recruitment to renew An Garda Síochána. With this in mind Budget 2016 made provision for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí this year bringing to 1,150 the number of new Gardaí who will have been recruited since the reopening of the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014. So far 296 of the new Garda recruits have been fully attested and are undertaking Garda duties in communities nationwide. I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí.
It is, of course, the case that all Gardaí have a role to play in addressing community policing issues as, and when, the need arises. In that sense, community policing involves far more than a single unit within An Garda Síochána, a point highlighted by the Garda Inspectorate in their third report entitled "Policing in Ireland-Looking Forward" in which they stated that community policing is a fundamental policing philosophy and that there is a strong foundation for it in Ireland.
An Garda Síochána now operates a new model of Community Policing which aims to build upon and enhance progress made so far. I fully support this renewed emphasis on Community Policing particularly in light of the priority given to this in the Programme for Government. The model is about renewing, reinvigorating and restructuring the community policing function within An Garda Síochána to deliver a consistent national structure to the community policing function, a more co-ordinated and efficient Garda service to the community and a spread of good practice and quality of service in community policing on a national basis.
The Report of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate "Changing Policing in Ireland - Delivering a visible, accessible and responsive service" which I published on 9 December recommends that An Garda Síochána reviews the activities of the Community Relations Unit to focus the unit on the key priorities of creating safer communities and improving customer service. It also recommends that An Garda Síochána reviews the approach to community policing and community engagement in urban and rural divisions and in particular, the deployment and tasking of resources to enforcement, prevention and community engagement. In order to progress consideration of the report I have put in place a process to seek the views of the Garda Commissioner and other bodies to whom recommendations are directed. I have requested them to respond within a reasonably short period of time, having regard to the size and scope of the report. I expect that this consultation process will be completed in March. The outcome will then inform the preparation of implementation proposals for consideration by Government.
