Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2016
136. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community gardaí in each of the districts of the Naas division in County Kildare; if she will increase the number of community gardaí in these districts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16044/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including Community Gardaí, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that the allocation of Gardaí is continually monitored and reviewed taking into account all relevant factors including crime trends, demographics, and security assessments relating to the area in question so as to ensure optimal use is made of Garda human resources.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the 30 April 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 311 members assigned to the Kildare Division. Of these 114 are assigned to the Naas District and, while there are currently no Community Gardaí attached to the Naas District, the Commissioner has advised that 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.
The Programme for a Partnership Government recognises that community policing is the embodiment of An Garda Síochána, providing a means of recognising that every community – both urban and rural – has its own concerns and expectations. It commits the Government to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. Key to achieving this goal is the commitment in the Programme to continue the ongoing accelerated Garda recruitment programme with a view to increasing Garda numbers to 15,000 as well as doubling the Garda Reserve and increasing the number of civilian staff so as to free-up Gardaí for front-line policing.
The Garda Commissioner's Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021, published on 9 June 2016, places a strong emphasis on developing and supporting the community policing ethos of the organisation and enhancing the current delivery model so that Gardaí spend more time in the community, gaining public confidence and trust and providing a greater sense of security. I welcome in particular, the proposal to establish local Community Policing Teams (CPTs) headed by an inspector and made up of Gardaí from across a range of areas to work with the community to prevent and detect crime. The CPTs will take proactive measures to prevent crime from happening in the area. This will entail a combination of crime prevention advice, targeting and disrupting criminals through operations and patrols, and where possible diverting people from committing crime. I also welcome the proposal to establish Community Safety Fora in every District comprising local Gardaí, local communities and key stakeholders. The implementation of these initiatives has started and will be rolled out nationwide.
