Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
817. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí by rank attached to each community policing unit within each district within Dublin region as of 12 July 2023, in tabular form. [35945/23]
View answerCommunity policing is fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and currently being rolled out under 'A Policing Service for Our Future', the Government's implementation plan for the Commission's recommendations.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the distribution and stationing of Garda members throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in these independent, operational functions.
I am assured that the Garda Commissioner keeps the allocation of resources under continued review to ensure their optimum use. This takes into account factors including crime trends, operational strategies and local population figures.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that member is allocated to a Community Policing Team (CPT) and is responsible and accountable for applying a problem–solving approach to appropriate crime and policing quality of life issues in a specified geographic area through partnership and engagement.
I am also advised that in some rural areas, the existing personnel will form CPTs. They will have dual functions as first responders and community policing members. Additionally, CPTs will be augmented by Community Support Gardaí who will perform frontline duties and will be assigned a particular Community Policing Area to support dedicated Community Gardaí.
I understand that each Division will have a number of CPTs assigned to it, consisting of an Inspector, Sergeant and Community Policing Gardaí. CPTs will prioritise engagement with communities for the delivery of long-term sustainable solutions to community needs.
The Deputy will be interested to know that, as of 30 June, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 663 Community Gardaí across the country.
As of the same date, figures in respect of the number of Community Gardaí assigned to the Dublin Garda Divisions are included in the below table.
|
Division |
As of 30 June 2023 |
|
D.M.R. EAST |
29 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH |
71 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL |
34 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH |
46 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL |
50 |
|
D.M.R. WEST |
61 |
|
Total |
291 |
