Mary Lou McDonald
Question:18. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [20329/23]
View answerWednesday, 24 May 2023
Questions (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
Alan Dillon
Question:19. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [21548/23]
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Catherine Murphy
Question:20. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [22919/23]
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Neasa Hourigan
Question:21. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [24232/23]
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Mick Barry
Question:22. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [22805/23]
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Ivana Bacik
Question:23. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [22865/23]
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Jim O'Callaghan
Question:24. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [23072/23]
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James Lawless
Question:25. Deputy James Lawless asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [23074/23]
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Brendan Smith
Question:26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [23216/23]
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Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:27. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [24731/23]
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Bríd Smith
Question:28. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [24734/23]
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Paul Murphy
Question:29. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [24737/23]
View answerOral answers (14 contributions)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 to 29, inclusive, together.
A Policing Service for our Future is the Government’s plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. Implementation of the plan is being overseen by a dedicated programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach and has now entered the final consolidation phase, with many substantive reforms already attained. This phase is expected to conclude in quarter 4 of this year as the enhanced governance and accountability framework laid out in the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill will be established. Major reforms to date include: progressing the operating model for An Garda Síochána, designed to streamline Garda administration and provide a more visible, responsive and localised policing service to communities nationwide; pilots of the local community safety partnerships in three locations around the country, namely, Dublin’s north inner city, Waterford city and county and Longford county; the recruitment of 3,000 Garda staff which has resulted in the reassignment of many gardaí to front-line policing duties; the distribution of more than 10,800 digital communication devices, enabling front-line gardaí to perform their duties without having to return to stations; implementing the equality, diversity and inclusion strategy statement and action plan for An Garda Síochána; and introducing additional health and well-being assistance for the workforce as part of the Garda health and well-being strategy.
There has also been significant progress on legislative reform. The Government has approved the drafting of: the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, which provides for the most wide-ranging and coherent reform of policing in a generation; the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill, which concerns the use of recording devices, including body-worn cameras; and the Garda Síochána (powers) Bill, will modernises police powers of search, arrest and detention. In addition, the Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Act came into law in 2021 to underpin the new operating model. These achievements represent only some of the wide range of actions completed or being progressed, and the plan is continually assessed to ensure a smooth transition to these new governance and oversight arrangements.
In the interest of facilitating all Members, I request that speakers limit themselves to one minute each.
My colleague, Deputy Carthy, and I have repeatedly raised the long delays by this Government and the previous one to progress an inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell. It is nearly 12 years since Shane was killed by a man who should have been in prison and five years since the Dáil and Seanad adopted resolutions calling for an independent public inquiry into the actions of An Garda Síochána and other State agencies before and after Shane's death. The scoping exercise that was carried out is a mechanism devised by the previous Government to delay acting on both Chambers' call for an inquiry. It was established more than four years ago, yet the final report is still with the Minister, and has been for a year now. All those referred to within it were consulted with in detail prior to the submission of the report. The Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, previously said that the events leading up to and after Shane's death demonstrated shocking malpractice and dysfunction within the criminal justice system. It was the O'Farrell family who uncovered that malpractice, which has continued into recent times. These are matters of significant public interest and concern. Will the Taoiseach establish an inquiry as called for by both the Dáil and Seanad?
I wish to bring to the attention of the Taoiseach a response I received from the chief superintendent for the Mayo, Roscommon and Longford division regarding concerns I raised in respect of the lack of a senior ranking officer at superintendent level at the divisional headquarters in Castlebar Garda station. The response I received lacks credibility and is inconsistent with the presence of superintendents in other divisional headquarters across the county. Castlebar, the former Mayo divisional headquarters, is now the divisional headquarters across three counties. There is no commitment in the correspondence I received that a sitting superintendent will be assigned in the foreseeable future. I have serious questions regarding the planning and implementation phases of the new operating model relating to the Mayo-Roscommon division. The placement of a functional community engagement office in Claremorris merely to accommodate administrative personnel with space available does not adequately address the need for a superintendent at the divisional headquarters in Castlebar. It is vital that a superintendent is assigned to the divisional headquarters. I respectfully urge the Taoiseach to review the matter closely and address the concerns raised.
In the context of the strategy, the Commissioner has responsibility for the deployment of resources, for example. We know the number of regions has been reduced, from six to four, and the aim is to have 700 to 800 gardaí per division. That assumes there is an equality of service. There are many metrics but it assumes there is some degree of equality of service throughout the country. Counties Kildare and Meath have consistently been shown to have the lowest number of gardaí per capita.
This just proves that as the population grows the services do not grow with it.
In addition to that, in Kildare it is very hard to understand why, with a population just short of 250,000, the division was not placed in Kildare and it was placed in Laois where the population is 91,000. There is a feeling that staff will be deployed from the headquarters in Kildare to Laois, which will further reduce the number of gardaí in Kildare. It is not the only area where this problem is emerging. Can we get assurances that we will not end up with a reduced service on foot of what is being presented as reform?
Why did gardaí allow the organisers of anti-asylum seeker roadblocks in County Clare go onto buses, count the number of asylum seekers leaving the area and count the number of asylum seekers coming back into the area, and film vulnerable people without their permission? Why did gardaí fail to prevent the burning of the tents and possessions of asylum seekers at Sandwith Street, when it was so clearly foreseeable? I observe that there is quite a sharp contrast between the Garda Commissioner's strategy for policing far right protests, and the approach that was taken with water charge campaigners, more than 200 of whom were arrested. To be clear, I am not in favour of or calling for police repression but nor am I in favour of an approach that allows the rights of asylum seekers to be trampled on and which gives encouragement to the far right. What all of this shows is that the State cannot be relied on to tackle the far right and that what is needed more than anything is a mass anti-racist movement, rooted in every community, rooted in every workplace, active on the streets, and challenging the far right and its poisonous ideology.
Those in the far right like to portray themselves as some sort of anti-establishment force. In truth, I think they are doing the dirty work of the real establishment - for example, those who benefit and profit from the housing crisis in this country, the big corporate landlords, and the private developers. How so? It is by dividing ordinary people, by pointing away from those at the top who are profiting and those who are responsible, by suggesting that extremely vulnerable people are to blame, and by undermining the potential for a united movement. It is striking to see how differently far right activists are being policed compared to genuine movements of working class people and ordinary people across country. Contrast this with the water charges marches, where more than 200 people were arrested. Consider the policing of the protest in Rossport against Shell, or look at the policing of the Debenhams' workers. In contrast, gardaí have facilitated far right activists, allowing them to enter a library in Swords. They stood by while asylum seekers were counted on buses in Inch. They allegedly stood by while an agreement was made to facilitate the removing of tents from Sandwith Street. Is the Taoiseach concerned by this level of co-operation?
I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy McDonald raised the very sad case of Shane O'Farrell who was killed in a road traffic collision, many years ago now. I again send my condolences to his mother and family. A scoping report has been carried out. It is very detailed and very comprehensive. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has met with the family about it. We would very much like to see it published as soon as possible. When it is published, I would ask people to read it and to reserve judgment on any further steps until they have had a chance to read it. I do not believe this is an unreasonable request, with respect to all of the people involved.
Deputy Dillon raised the issue of the Mayo-Roscommon policing division. As the House will be aware, the assignment of gardaí and the assignment of gardaí of particular ranks is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. It is not a matter for the Minister for Justice or for the Taoiseach, and I do not think it should be, quite frankly. It is important the Garda Commissioner has that delegated function and the freedom to deploy gardaí as he sees fit. I will ensure the Garda Commissioner is aware of Deputy Dillon's feelings on the matter. I meet the Garda Commissioner regularly and I will be certain to pass that on.
Deputy Barry and others made a number of allegations against the gardaí and the way they have policed anti-racism protests. I do not know if those allegations are true and I am not sure if it is appropriate to make them in the Dáil, but the Deputies have done so. Others would be accused of abusing privilege if they did that. I will not accuse the Deputies of doing that but I will make the point that allegations made in the House have a certain nature. These would have to be raised with the gardaí. I was not there and I cannot account for what happened or what did not happen.
Finally, with regard to any mass anti-racism movement, any such movement should be broad-based and by definition it should include anyone who is opposed to racism. If it does not do that, then it is not really doing what it says on the tin.
Perhaps the Taoiseach will also respond to my question.
Will the Deputy remind me?
It was about the deployment of gardaí and the new divisions.
I am sorry. I thought I had covered the deployment of gardaí in my response to Deputy Dillon. The deployment of gardaí is a delegated function to the Garda Commissioner. It is not a decision that is made with the Minister for Justice or the Taoiseach. I am happy to transmit any thoughts the Deputy has on that, if she has not done so already.
I have repeatedly made these points.
I thank the Deputy. I understand her frustration. It is shared across the country I am sure. I thank the Taoiseach.
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Cuireadh an Dáil ar fionraí ar 1.56 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 2.56 p.m.
Sitting suspended at 1.56 p.m. and resumed at 2.56 p.m.