Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
42. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice the action he is taking to increase the number of gardaí in the Cavan-Monaghan division, currently at 380, which is 26 fewer gardaí than in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18120/23]
View answerWhat action is the Minister for Justice taking to increase the number of gardaí in the Cavan-Monaghan division, which currently is 380? This is 26 fewer gardaí than in 2016. Will the Minister of State make a statement on the matter?
I thank Deputy Tully for this very important question on the number of gardaí in the Cavan-Monaghan division. The Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has all the necessary resources it needs to deliver a very modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service. Budget 2023 provided funding of €2.14 billion for An Garda Síochána. In total since 2016, the budget for An Garda Síochána has increased by approximately €586 million, or 38%. This increased level of investment by Government has enabled sustained and ongoing investment in recruitment, in technology and in equipment. Budget 2023 will support the planned recruitment of up to 1,000 new Garda members and 400 new Garda staff. These Garda staff members will free up Garda Síochána members from administrative duties and place them back onto the front line.
As the Deputy will be aware, by law the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the various divisions. As Ministers, we have no role in those matters. I am, however, assured that the Commissioner and his management team keep the distribution of resources under constant review in light of local policing needs and crime trends.
I can advise the Deputy that 318 gardaí were assigned to the Cavan-Monaghan division in 2016, and this has increased by 60 to 378 members as of 31 March this year. I can further advise the Deputy that the number of Garda staff assigned to the division has also increased substantially, from 38 to 58, in the same period. These numbers represent very significant increases of almost 19% and 50%, respectively.
It should be noted that, since 2015, civilianisation of staff has freed almost 900 Garda members from back-office duties nationwide to return to the front-line policing for which they have been highly trained. I can also assure the Deputy that, while the Commissioner is operationally responsible, this Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service. As I said, budget 2023 provides funding of €2.14 billion.
I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the increased budget allocated to the Garda force. Last year the national recruitment target was 800 and I believe that only 460 - just over half - were actually recruited into the force. As I said, there are fewer gardaí in the Cavan-Monaghan division since 2016. Also, the population has increased in both counties since then. In Cavan, the population has increased by more than 5,000 and in Monaghan by more than 3,500. There are an extra 8,500 people in the two counties and yet we have fewer gardaí.
What is most concerning is the number of resignations, which have increased substantially over the years. We had 104 last year and 12 in January of this year, which is half the number who resigned in 2016. Has the Minister of State explored the reasons behind the high number of gardaí who are leaving the force, not as a result of retirement but as a result of resignations?
There can be all sorts of reasons for gardaí retiring earlier. We are in an exceptionally tight labour market at the moment. An Garda Síochána intends to start carrying out exit assessments to determine why individual gardaí may be leaving. The actual number compared with the overall force is still quite low.
On the Cavan-Monaghan area, I assure the Deputy that recruitment is actively happening. There will be 1,000 additional gardaí this year and 400 additional civilian staff for An Garda Síochána. We will see additional gardaí on our streets in every county throughout the country as these gardaí are trained and assigned to different areas. As I said, it is the Garda Commissioner’s role to assess the operational needs and the deployment of those gardaí.
I thank the Minister of State for that response. As he is probably aware, Cavan and Monaghan are both extremely rural counties, so for gardaí to respond to the report of a crime or to investigate a crime, they will need vehicles. The response to a parliamentary question I submitted recently indicates the number of vehicles allocated to the Cavan-Monaghan division in 2022 was six but the number of vehicles removed from the division in the same year was nine, so the division is down three vehicles across the two counties. For people to feel confident, secure and safe in their homes, especially in rural areas, they need to know that gardaí are resourced and that there are enough personnel and enough vehicles so that they can respond to reports of crime in a very speedy manner.
I wonder if the housing issue is also having an impact on the force. Gardaí earn a reasonable amount of money but the cost of accommodation has gone sky high. I am aware of gardaí stationed in Cavan who come from other counties. They cannot even live in the county because of the cost involved. I wonder if that is that another reason for the high number of resignations. People feel they cannot live in this country.
I wish to ask the Minister about gardaí for Carlow. I have highlighted this issue on numerous occasions. Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford are now linked. I recently met local gardaí whom I compliment on the job they do. However, from speaking to the gardaí in Carlow, I believe we need many more community gardaí. That is probably true across the country. For people to feel safe in their own communities, it is nice to have the presence of gardaí. I understand how hard they work and that is not in question. This issue needs to be addressed.
I was in Carlow Garda station two or three weeks ago. There is a prefab at the back of the station. There are gardaí working in a prefab in 2023. They are doing typing and work like that. It is unacceptable. I have raised this issue on several occasions. While we are appreciative of the work of the Garda, we need to resource the force right and get as many community gardaí as we can.
I thank the Deputy. There is record funding of €2.14 billion for the Garda in budget 2023, which is an increase of €586 million or 38% since 2016. That is a very significant increase. That funding is going towards the recruitment of additional gardaí and the provision of resources, including equipment and vehicles. That is important for the Garda.
As of 31 March, there were 76 vehicles assigned to the Cavan-Monaghan division, including 53 Garda cars and 12 vans. That represents a 9% increase since 2020. All members of the Garda are community gardaí. We are very proud that it is a principle of the operation of the police force in this country. There is a designation of community gardaí for individuals within the Garda and who is designated as such, and how many are designated, are matters for the Garda Commissioner and his senior staff.
Funding for accommodation is provided by the Department but its provision is a matter for the Office of Public Works, OPW.
