I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time.
This Bill is the necessary result of a decision to carry out a scheme of reorganisation of the Dublin Metropolitan Division of the Garda Síochána. The scheme provides for the creation of twenty-one additional posts of inspector rank in the Division and to enable all these appointments to be made the existing statutory provisions governing the strength of the ranks of the Force will have to be amended. These provisions are contained in subsection (2) of section 5 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925. They prescribe that the Garda Siochana shall consist of such officers and men as the Government shall from time to time determine not exceeding the total number of officers and men respectively specified in the Third Schedule to the Act.
In that Schedule, as amended by the Garda Siochana Act, 1945, the maximum strength of the inspector rank is 90 and that number also represents the strength of the rank as determined by Government. Within the present statutory limit, it has been possible to make some of the additional appointments but to enable all the appointments to be made it will be necessary to provide for a maximum strength of 103. That is the purpose of the Bill but Deputies will note that I am asking for approval of a maximum number of 110. I consider it prudent to provide for a margin in excess of present requirements in order to meet possible future contingencies. This course will obviate the necessity for further legislation.
The scheme of reorganisation, which has been formulated by the Commissioner of the Force in consultation with his senior officers, is based on the recommendations of a firm of management consultants which carried out an investigation into the administrative and organisation structure of the Dublin Metropolitan Division. The scheme is aimed at improving the present administrative system and increasing crime prevention efficiency in the Division, and many of the provisions of the scheme dealing with the allocation of duties and personnel, the coordination of the efforts of different work sections and the elimination of duplication have already been put into operation.
The aspects of the scheme which make the appointment of the inspectors necessary are those relating to station and unit control, outdoor supervision, communications and a crime prevention service. It is considered essential, in the interests of effective control, that there should be attached to each station a person of responsible rank who would have responsibility for the activities of the complete station party and station area and under the scheme 21 of the city's 23 stations will have an inspector assigned for this duty—Raheny and Kill-O'-Grange will not be so staffed, but they will come under the control of the inspectors at Clontarf and Dalkey respectively. Likewise, each of seven district detective units will have an inspector in control. In addition, the maintenance of adequate outdoor supervision will require the assignment of three extra inspectors for duty tours at each of the city's six central stations, viz., College Street, Kevin Street, Harcourt Terrace, Bridewell, Fitzgibbon Street and Store Street.
The appointment of a Crime Prevention Advisory Officer is also provided for. He will be required, among other things, to make a study of crime prevention methods, to advise firms and individuals on the best protection methods against housebreaking and loss of property and to give lectures to members of the Force on prevention and detection methods. Lastly, it is intended to have a Communications Officer who will be in charge of 999 calls, radio service, telephone and teleprinter service.
I have carefully considered the proposals of the Garda Commissioner and I am fully satisfied that the scheme will result in a more satisfactory system of organisation and administration and will provide a big improvement in the machinery for supervision and crime investigation.
The creation of the additional inspector posts in the Dublin Metropolitan Division will mean promotion for a number of members of the Force of sergeant and station sergeant rank with consequential promotion for members of Garda rank. I should like, therefore, to make some comments on the subject of promotion generally as it seems to me that in any Force like the Garda Siochana it must be regarded as being of vital importance. It is one which is of particular interest to the individual member and one on which there has been, from time to time, a great deal of discussion and comment. It is a matter which vitally affects morale and has an important bearing on the efficiency of the Force as a whole.
It is important at the outset to emphasise that in any such Force only a proportion of the members can attain promotion and it is only natural, therefore, that there will be some disappointment to individual members from time to time. That is, of course, inevitable and cannot be avoided. What can and must be avoided, however, is that that natural and human disappointment should be transformed into a sense of frustration or injustice leading to discontent. This can only be done if the system of promotion is obviously just and equitable, and every member of the Force can feel, and indeed know, that he will get a fair crack of the whip. In any large organisation, luck will play a certain part but every fair-minded person will understand that this cannot be helped. The workings of any system will throw up the odd anomaly from time to time, and maybe even an occasional injustice. The objective, however, must be to ensure that any such discrepancies are kept down to an absolute minimum and that the system is demonstrably as fair and reasonable as possible.
Promotion prospects were never better than they are at present. At no time since the inception of the Force have there been such widespread opportunities available to all ranks as there will be during the next few years. Every Garda today carries gold braid in his tunic pocket and the young man of ability who applies himself to his career in the Force with diligence, zeal and energy can look forward to a very promising future. During the next six years, as a consequence of retirements on age ground alone, the following appointments will require to be made:
Deputy and Assistant Commissioners |
4 |
Chief Superintendents |
25 |
Superintendents |
105 |
Inspectors |
129 |
Station Sergeants and Sergeants |
606 |
869 |
I have heard complaints that the older members of the Force are being victimised by the promotion of younger men over their heads. I have made inquiries about this aspect and find that the average age of promotees over the past three years was 57 years for chief superintendents, 51 years for superintendents, 46 years for inspectors and 35 years for sergeants. Other things being equal, preference is given to senior men, but suitability for higher duties, and not seniority, is the determining factor. In the Garda Síochána, where there is promotion right up along the line, and where there is no entry to the officer ranks through the medium of a cadet force, it is essential that seniority alone should not be the sole ground for promotion. I should point out also that between 1954 and 1960, 757 members passed the eligibility tests for promotion to sergeant rank and only 70 of these were over 40.
Having regard to the number of elderly men in the Force, these figures clearly show that the reason why the younger men are figuring in the promotion list is that the older men are not eligible to be promoted. In November 1960, the existing promotion procedure was discussed by the Commissioner with the Representative Bodies for Gardaí, sergeants, station sergeants and inspectors. A number of members expressed criticism of the procedure but the Bodies had no concrete suggestions for improvement. In view of the paramount importance of this matter, however, and the accelerated volume of promotion which must take place within the next few years, I intend to discuss the existing arrangements with the Commissioner at an early date in order to satisfy myself that they are the best possible having regard to all the circumstances.
I commend the Bill to the House and ask that it be given a Second Reading.