Vol. 576 No. 5
395 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reasons for his refusal to provide funds to a project (details supplied) in Dublin 8 which has led to an improvement in the relationships between gardaí and the community and which has led to a growth in trust, co-operation and understanding, providing many benefits to all involved in this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30001/03]
The community policing forum in Dublin's A Garda district, Kevin StreetKilmainham was established by the Commissioner in 2000 on a pilot basis following upon extensive consultations between the Garda and community interests. No specific allocation of funding has been made in relation to this forum. The original forum did not provide a co-ordinator. An independent evaluation of the work of the forum in 2002 identified the need for a state funded co-ordinator to assist in the work of the forum.
My Department received a proposal from the gardaí early in the summer for the funding of a co-ordinator for the A district policing forum. A number of factors were considered. These included the question of funding from the Garda Vote or seeking another source, the role and function of the co-ordinator, the policing forum model, the possible expectations that would arise to deliver this model nationwide if a positive decision were given in Rialto and the possible implications for the forum of a negative decision on this proposal.
It has been decided that the Garda will not fund a co-ordinator for the A district policing forum at this time. Perhaps the biggest influencing factor on this decision was the Government decision of 4 December 2002 which immediately capped public service staffing levels and required reductions to be achieved over a particular period. The Government is intent on achieving this objective. In that regard, any post which is funded by the public purse is regarded as being covered by this cap. Accordingly, the Minister for Finance is not in a position to sanction the appointment of additional civilian personnel unless a civilian post could be suppressed in order to facilitate such an appointment.
As you may be already aware, I am determined to maximise the extent to which civilian employees can perform functions being performed by gardaí which would make those gardaí available for more conventional and higher priority policing duties. It would be difficult to justify a case for the employment of a forum co-ordinator in these circumstances, at this time.
Co-ordinators are provided in certain cases for fora through funding under the national drug strategy. I will refer the Deputy to a comprehensive answer I have provided to Deputy Costello's question today on community policing fora generally where I have described in detail the operation of such fora, the mechanisms for funding and my plans for the future in this regard.
