Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
841. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of times gardaí were dispatched following 999 calls in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2024; and if a breakdown by county can be provided. [13785/24]
View answerI am advised by the Garda authorities that GardaSAFE, the new computer aided dispatch system in the Garda Síochána, was rolled out incrementally across the organisation in 2023. The last region, the Dublin Metropolitan Region, went live on GardaSAFE in late November 2023.
The Garda authorities further advise that at this stage, the focus remains on the operational implementation of the system nationwide. Whilst there are some reports available, these are focused on live operational aspects, for example for the Control Rooms to monitor call volumes. I am assured by the Garda authorities that over time, and as the amount of data available from GardaSAFE increases, there will be additional reports available within GardaSAFE itself, and also the ability to utilise the data for bespoke queries and analysis.
The Deputy will also be aware that in February, the Policing Authority published a report on the recommendations from an examination carried out by Mr Derek Penman on behalf of the Policing Authority in 2022. These recommendations were designed to improve the service the public receives when they call 999 for assistance. The report was very positive, and noted that the majority Mr Penman's recommendations have been implemented.
