asked the Minister for Justice if more experienced members of the FCA will be employed as a back-up group to assist the Garda thereby enabling more Garda personnel to be available for foot patrol; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - FCA as Garda Back-up.
3.
The answer to the first part of the question is "no". The Garda authorities do not consider it necessary to seek the assistance of the Army authorities in normal policing operations.
It is my policy, and one with which the Garda Commissioner agrees, to have as many members of the force as practicable available for foot patrol duty. Arising from the substantial increase in the strength of the force and measures taken by the Commissioner to re-deploy resources, there has been an increase in the general level of foot patrolling in the past year or so and it is hoped through further measures, such as increasing the number of civilian clerical staff assigned to Garda offices, to effect still further improvements in this regard.
I should like to welcome the Minister's reply and take the opportunity of congratulating the Minister on the number of foot patrols operating in Dublin city and county. It is marvellous to see them and people feel secure and satisfied.
The Minister has been assured that we can all be satisfied that there will be adequate foot patrols and I accept what the Minister has said about a substantial improvement in the last year or so, but there are many areas that badly need foot patrols. I will not mention all the areas but there are plenty of them on the north side and in the city centre. Given the fact that at the end of February there were 11,338 members in the Garda Síochána and that the Government plan to increase that number to 11,400 only at the end of the year, an additional 62, how can the Minister tell the House that she is happy with the assurances given that there will be adequate numbers available? I appreciate that redeployment will have some effect but it would take massive redeployment to have any impact on the whole country when only an additional 62 guards will be available for the rest of the year.
The Deputy's question is not directly related to the question under discussion. A total of 750 completed training for the Garda Síochána in the last year.
Will the Minister agree that it would be an unhealthy development for policing to be taken over by members of the Defence Forces, whether they are part-time or full-time? Will the Minister agree that any additional policing should be provided through the Garda rather than using the Defence Forces for such purposes?
Primarily the role of the FCA is to provide military security in their areas and to relieve units of the Permanent Defence Forces when circumstances demand. Over the past few years the FCA personnel performed duties at military installations thus releasing Permanent Defence Force personnel for duties in aid of the civil power. The FCA also have a role as a first reserve pending a build-up of a strong first line reserve. The precise arrangements for the allocation of Garda manpower between foot patrols and other duties in any particular area are decided by the local Garda officers having regard to the available resources, local circumstances and the other demands on Garda services at the time, both day and night.