asked the Minister for Justice the changes which are proposed in the management structure of the Garda Síochána following his recent announcement in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
23.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Management and Training.
8.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will list the recommendations of the report on Garda training which have been implemented to date; if any timetable has been agreed by the Government for the implementation of the remaining recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
29.
asked the Minister for Justice when the new trianing programme for Garda recruits will begin; what it will consist of and the number of gardaí that will be trained under this programme in each of the next three years.
33.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement regarding the changes he recently announced in the organisation and management of the Garda Síochána; if, in the course of that statement he will outline his plans to recruit an extra 1,000 gardaí, including specifying the way in which he proposes to meet the extra costs involved in the context of a reduction in real terms in the Estimate for the Garda Síochána; if he will give consideration to the need for regular reports to Dáil Eireann as to the progress of this reorganisation; and if he will outline the proposed training programme for new recruits.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 23, 29 and 33 together.
The details of the revised management structure of the Garda Síochána are at present the subject of consultation between the Commissioner and his senior officers and the Commissioner will shortly be in a position to submit his proposals to me. It is my intention that there will be an announcement at an early date of the changes introduced.
As announced last month a Garda recruitment competition will be held this year from which a total of 1,000 appointments will be made over the three year period 1989, 1990 and 1991. New recruitment qualifications and procedures will apply to the competition. Candidates will be required to have achieved an educational standard of at least grade D in five subjects, including Irish, English and Mathematics, in the leaving certificate, or an equivalent examination. The competition will include an intelligence test to be administered by the Civil Service Commission followed by a interview of selected candidates. Costs associated with the running of the competition this year will be met from the Garda Vote.
Recruits appointed from this recruitment competition will undergo a new training programme which has been approved by the Government. This programme takes account of the recommendations of the Walsh Committee, which is conducting a review of all aspects of Garda training, in particular the recommendation that training should be ongoing over a period of two years. In that time recruits will spend 42 weeks in the Garda Training Centre in Templemore and the balance of their time undergoing a form of on-the-job training at selected Garda stations.
There will be an emphasis during training on the development of practical policing skills and recruits will also be given some gounding in the basics of criminology, behavioural science, psychology, public relations, communications, social science and management skills.
With regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the Walsh Committee, the position is that the new training system, and also the new recruitment qualifications and procedures which are being introduced, are very much on the lines recommended by the Walsh Committee. The action that has been or is being taken covers all the major recommendations of the Walsh Committee — some other recommendations contained in their report are being examined further.
I should like to enthusiastically support what the Minister is doing. It is long overdue and I should like to congratulate him, and the new Garda Commissioner, on the initiatives they have taken in regard to the management structure and training procedures for Garda recruits. I presume the Minister will take into account not just the recommendations of the Walsh Committee but those of the Joint Committee on Crime, Lawlessness and Vandalism whose report was published two years ago. I should like to ask the Minister, in relation to the proposed changes in the management structure, if it is envisaged that the appointment of senior officers within the force will be as heretofore or if there will be a different method of appointing senior officers. In regard to recruitment procedures I suggest to the Minister that the only matter that should be taken into account is the aptitude test and the psychological ability of recruits. I am disappointed that a psychological test for recruits is not included, as recommended in many reports. It would be a pity if the Minister did not take that on board. I disagree with Deputy Gay Mitchell in that I do not think the origin of Garda recruits is as important as other matters, particularly the question of suitability of the individuals for the job.
I should like to join with Deputy Harney in welcoming the proposals on Garda training. Is it wise to proceed with the new recruitment policy prior to deciding on a management structure for the force for the future because one is linked to the other? If we are to proceed along traditional lines, as Deputy Harney suggested, there is no need for change but if it is the intention to make changes at management level surely we should recruit a certain type of candidate. Will the two year training period be considered probationary? Will it be open to the Garda authorities to say that a certain individual is not considered suitable after he or she has been observed on duty during a trial period in a station? Are there any proposals to move the training centre from Templemore to a centre close to a third level college so that recruits can avail of the education facilities in them?
Is the Deputy suggesting County Limerick?
I was thinking of Carysfort College which is adjacent to a number of third level institutions.
Would County Limerick which is close to NIHE not be more attractive to the Minister? We could get a Private Members' motion going on that if the Deputy would support me.
I welcome the new proposals but I should like to point out that because of the exclusion of women up to recently the number of banghardaí in the force is very low. Under employment equality legislation there is power to recruit more women in areas where they are not well represented. There may be some debate about the origin of recruits but I do not think there can be any debate about the need for more banghardaí.
I will try to deal with the supplementaries raised. I am grateful to the Members who expressed support for our efforts to implement as many of the recommendations of the Walsh Committee as possible. I should like to say, on behalf of the Members of the House, a sincere word of thanks to the members of that committee for the work they are doing. I should like to thank my predecessor, Deputy Dukes, and his party, for establishing that committee when in Government. We are all anxious to see the Garda force properly equipped so as to be able to look after our interests. I issued a public statement on my proposals in regard to the Garda Síochána about a month ago and I shall circulate a copy of it to interested Members. That statement spells out our proposals. I should like to tell Deputy Barrett that in my announcement I stressed that the Garda training centre will remain in Templemore, that it will be updated, as is necessary, and that we will have available to us, as we have already, staff from the education centres to ensure that our education programmes are worth while. I should like to tell Deputy Barrett that a new recruit will not be attested until he has completed 62 weeks training. He must return for a further 42 weeks before he finally qualifies. I should like to tell Deputies Barnes and Harney that we are conscious of the need for banghardaí in the force. We are satisfied that they serve a useful purpose and are very effective members of the force. It will continue to be our policy to recruit women.
They should be promoted.
That is another matter. The Deputy knows I cannot interfere in promotions.
Say that with a straight face.
Deputy Harney asked if there would be any changes in appointments. The answer is that the present system is working quite well and I have no proposals to change it. Deputy Barrett asked whether this is the time to take in recruits on the new training system. I believe it is the time. If we do not make a start now we will never do it. I take cognisance of his concern that we may not have the management structure to deal with it. I am satisfied, however, that we will have the management structure. We have appointed three new assistant commissioners — all very skilled persons — to help in restructuring the management of the Garda Síochána. The Government decided to make available to me, as the person with the ultimate responsibility to this House for Garda affairs, a committee of eminent persons from the private sector to advise on management procedures, under the chairmanship of the chief executive of the ESB, Mr. Moriarty. Other persons are being sought and when the required group of five or six is available I will make a further announcement. It is envisaged that this group will operate in the same way as the committee which dealt so successfully with the problem of the communications system which the Garda required. This committee worked under the chairmanship of Professor Seán Scanlon of UCD and they gave powerful service to the public, the taxpayers and the Garda Síochána.
We have encroached into time nominated for Priority Questions.
One of those questions which the Minister has answered was tabled by me.
I appreciate that, but we are now in time nominated for Priority Questions.
I wish to ask a brief supplementary. Will any of the extra 1,000 gardaí be recruited in 1988?
Yes. Please do not tie me to exact dates as yet. I will be in a position within a short time to make a full announcement. We would hope that the Civil Service Commission are already putting together the organisation required to get the competition under way and as soon as that has been done we will start bringing them in. We have to do a major job at Templemore to make sure we have the necessary accommodation and we hope to start on that work immediately. It will probably be towards the end of the year before trainee recruits are actually in position. I say that from my knowledge and experience of what has taken place in relation to other competitions. It is in the interest of all of us to get his matter moving as fast as we can and it is my intention to see to it that this is done.