Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2016
4. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures she will take to ensure Garda Síochána numbers rise to 15,000 over five years; and when she will request the Policing Authority to oversee a review with regard to the dispersement of Garda Síochána stations in rural areas. [10513/16]
View answerDeputy Niall Collins asks about the visibility of police throughout the country. Key to achieving that goal is the commitment in the programme for partnership Government to continue the ongoing accelerated garda recruitment programme. Templemore had been closed but the last Government made a decision to open Templemore and begin a process of continuous and ongoing recruitment. There is agreement in the programme for Government on accelerating the recruitment programme to bring the numbers up to 15,000. A total of 700 garda recruits have already gone through Templemore and a further 440 have been planned for this year. We will need to accelerate that later in the year but this will depend on the capacity of Templemore and that is being examined with the authorities in the college. We would like to begin to increase the numbers as far as we can but this will depend on resources there.
We do not want to reduce the quality of training as that is very important. When large numbers were going through Templemore, as was captured in the O'Higgins report, the training of recruits and, particularly, the supervision of young gardaí leaving Templemore, were lacking so we want to ensure that when recruits leave Templemore they have access to supervision in the training stations around the country. An accelerated programme of recruitment of trainee gardaí is essential to ensure a visible policing presence. We have commitments to double the Garda Reserve, an issue which the Deputy has raised with me a number of times, so that they can act in a supportive local role as well.
My party welcomes the fact that the Government has accepted that we need to bring the personnel of the Garda Síochána back up to 15,000, having said it could not be done. I have a concern that the target may not be reached. Some 700 trainees have gone through Templemore and a further 440 will do so this year but approximately 1,500 are eligible to retire and when one factors those numbers into the manpower level of the force at the moment, which is approximately 12,000, we will be a long time reaching the figure of 15,000. What detailed plans does the Minister have to increase recruitment and has she looked at stretching out the retirement age?
The second part of the question related to the review of Garda stations by the Policing Authority. Who will set the terms of reference for that? On page 98 of the programme for Government, it states, "As part of the review [of Garda stations by the independent Policing Authority] we will launch a pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations". Can the Minister tell us which six Garda stations will be reopened and what criteria were used to make the decision? It was clearly a political decision within the programme for Government to reopen six stations. What were the criteria and who will set the terms of reference for the independent Policing Authority to review the rest of them?
With the numbers of trainee gardaí who are to be attested this year, the force will come to approximately 13,000. I agree with the Deputy that, in order to reach 15,000 in a timely way, we will need to accelerate the intake. Obviously, I will be having discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in that regard. Perhaps by September we will be in a position to announce an increased intake and I hope that can continue in the course of next year. This will lead to the acceleration to which the Deputy is referring and which will be very helpful all round.
To reply to the second part of the question, we are committed to launching a pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine the possible positive effects such reopenings would have on the level of criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order offences. The scheme will be initiated within two months. I intend to consult the Garda Commissioner and the Policing Authority which has been charged with the responsibility of overseeing it to agree the process through which the Commissioner will identify the six stations to be reopened under the pilot scheme. My officials will shortly be in contact with a view to putting in place the arrangements for the review, although it will obviously be a decision of the Commissioner as it is an operational issue.
There is a critical point. Being independent, the Policing Authority is being asked to undertake a review of the stations which were closed, with a view to some of them potentially being reopened. Nonetheless, we do not know what the process is going to be. It is important there be a clear and transparent process regarding which six stations will be opened initially and also, for example, whether local communities will be allowed to make a submission. The Minister might comment on this.
With regard to garda numbers, will the Minister comment on what is stated in the most recent report of the Garda Inspectorate that a couple of hundred gardaí are effectively engaged in clerical or administrative duties - desk work - when they should be available for front-line policing services? What progress has been made on that recommendation?
I agree with the Deputy on the need for transparency in the criteria to be used in the reopening of stations and that certainly will be the case. It is an operational matter, but, clearly, I expect the Policing Authority to oversee this work and there to be discussions between the authority and the Garda Commissioner. Nonetheless, it is an operational decision that will depend on needs and crime trends within a particular area. It is not a political decision; it is a decision that will be taken by the Policing Authority and the Garda Commissioner based on the needs of different areas and the services available in a particular area at a particular time.
What was the Deputy's second question?
It concerned taking gardaí from desk duties.
That is part of the civilianisation project. The last Garda Inspectorate report suggested a large number of gardaí were undertaking duties that could be performed by civilians. Progress has been made in that regard, for example, at the airport and in a number of other areas. Nonetheless, I have to say the figure involved is questioned by Garda management; it is, therefore, a very important issue to be determined. I hope to see progress on it in the next couple of months through the freeing up of further gardaí.
