Vol. 929 No. 1
30. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if recorded crime statistics for County Galway are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area; if all Garda stations in County Galway have access to the PULSE system; if not, the details of the stations without access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34725/16]
I ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if recorded crime statistics for County Galway are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area; if all Garda stations in County Galway have access to the PULSE system; if not, the details of the stations without access; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Crime statistics are compiled by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, based on PULSE data. The statistics for the Galway Garda division reflect all crime incidents recorded by An Garda Síochána for that county. The Deputy will be aware that in the most recent CSO figures, for the second quarter of 2016, there were decreases in many crime categories. This reflects the success of the concerted Garda drive against crime being implemented under Operation Thor. In Galway Garda division, the figures show a reduction in burglary of 17%.
The quality of crime statistics is an international and national issue. When the Garda Inspectorate reported on it, I met with the CSO and I asked it to do some work on the quality of crime statistics. I know it is an independent body but I was very happy to see them do that work. They have produced two reports. The first was in June 2015 and there was another one more recently. That showed that the estimated impact of the issues identified in the Garda Inspectorate report in relation to recorded crime is substantially less than in the first review. Progress has been made in relation to the quality of crime statistics. We need to continue to examine it and keep a strong focus on it. The CSO will continue to monitor it, but it is going in the right direction.
I wish to pick up the second part of the Deputy's question, which is very important. Most crime incidents are recorded via the Garda information services centre, GISC, which is located in Castlebar. It is an around-the-clock service that enables gardaí to phone in details of a crime incident to specifically-trained staff to facilitate its correct recording and classification on PULSE. The lack of access to PULSE in a particular Garda station should not prevent the accurate recording of crime data. In fact, the latest information from the Garda authority is that 92% of all crime incidents are recorded via GISC, with the balance being recorded by gardaí directly on PULSE. It is very important that I am clear with Deputies who raise this issue as a number of Deputies have raised it. A total of 92% of the recording is done via the 24-hour services in Castlebar.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
Some of the issues raised by the Garda Inspectorate concerned the need for procedures to ensure that the recording of crimes through GISC is maximised. As part of the work to implement the Garda Inspectorate’s very broad ranging recommendations, An Garda Síochána has implemented new measures to improve data quality, including a new incident recording process. This, together with important upgrades of the PULSE system during 2015, is supporting the improvement of Garda crime data as well as procedures for the supervision of investigations.
It will take time for the full effect of the upgrading of Garda systems to be reflected in the crime statistics. In this regard, I understand that the CSO intends to provide further analysis of crime data quality in due course which will help us to gauge, at that stage, how successful the ongoing work to achieve improvements in our crime statistics has been.
For its part, the Government remains committed to supporting this work and this is underlined by the investment of €330 million, including €205 million under the capital plan, in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021.
In relation to the specific question of PULSE access for Garda stations, as a number of Deputies have sought similar information in relation to various counties, I propose to provide those Deputies with a table with this information and to include the table in the record of this debate.
I might add that the question of enhancing rural access to the Garda network is being examined as part of the Garda Síochána Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021. This includes plans to introduce mobile technology solutions to enable operational gardaí to access core information systems, including PULSE, while on duty and away from Garda stations.
However, as I have explained, the availability of PULSE in a given Garda station is not a prerequisite for the accurate recording and classification of crime data.
|
Division |
Names of Garda Stations in these areas without access to PULSE |
|
Co Galway |
Cor an Dolá |
|
Monivea |
|
|
Sraith Salach |
|
|
Letterfrack |
|
|
An Mám |
|
|
Cloch na Rón |
|
|
Killimor |
|
|
Woodford |
|
|
Eyrecourt |
|
|
Kilrickle |
|
|
Ros Muc |
|
|
Indreabhán |
|
|
Leitir Móir |
|
|
Cill Rónáin |
|
|
Ardrahan |
|
|
Ballygar |
|
|
Ahascragh |
|
|
Kilconnell |
|
|
Kiltormer |
|
|
Moylough |
|
|
Williamstown |
|
|
Milltown |
|
|
Glenamaddy |
|
|
Corofin |
Yesterday, I was at the joint policing committee in Galway. The report was very positive, except that domestic violence was up by 16%. In the Galway division, there are 20 Garda stations that do not have immediate access to the computerised system. When are we looking at upgrading the system? Are there plans in the programme for Government or in the future to upgrade all Garda stations in order that when a garda returns to his base, he or she has the opportunity to access the system? When we look through the CSO report, it is not very complimentary of the service. In actual fact, it is quite the opposite. It shows that 17% of all offences were logged on calls but are not up on PULSE. In another example, 40% of public order incidents also go through on the call system but are not on the PULSE system. It is contradictory. I welcome the Tánaiste's comments as to the progress in the future.
I have two points to make on that. The CSO's analysis concluded that, notwithstanding the issues identified by the inspectorate, the data available on PULSE was of sufficient quality to allow publication. That is really important and came from the CSO itself. On the question of PULSE access for Garda stations, quite a number of Deputies have sought similar information in relation to various counties. I am providing those Deputies with a table with information to be included in the record of this debate. Deputy Rabbitte will have access to that. The question of enhancing rural access to the Garda network is being examined as part of the modernisation programme. This includes plans to introduce mobile technology solutions and to enable operational gardaí to access core information systems, including PULSE, while on duty and away from Garda stations. As well as developing the PULSE system in the various Garda stations, it is the development of mobile technology that is the future in terms of gardaí both accessing and recording information on the PULSE system, as we see in other jurisdictions such as in New York or other countries.
It is very welcome to hear that An Garda Síochána is coming into the 21st century in certain aspects by bringing the system onto a mobile phone or whatever mechanism in order that gardaí can record crimes on the spot. I believe that is where we need to be going. Does the Tánaiste have a plan, timeframe or schedule of works on the specific aspect she has documented?
There has been a Government decision to allocate almost €300 million to upgrading technology. There is a very big programme in that regard. That money will also be used to make sure that we have interoperability of databases, for example, in security and terrorism, and that we can work effectively with other countries. The money will also be used on mobile technology and on upgrading the PULSE system. I make the point again: the availability of PULSE in a given Garda station is not a prerequisite for the accurate recording and classification of crime data. I believe that is a key message in response to the Deputy's question.
31. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if recorded crime statistics for County Westmeath are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area; if all Garda stations in County Westmeath have access to the PULSE system; if not, the details of the stations without access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34679/16]
I wish to ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the recorded crime statistics for County Westmeath are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area; if all Garda stations in County Westmeath have access to the PULSE system; and, if not, if she can supply the details of the Garda stations without access to the PULSE system.
I am supplying that information in tabular form. I do not have the time to go through the detail of that in the House, but it will be supplied to the Deputies who ask the question about the number of stations with the PULSE system. Crime statistics are compiled by the CSO, based on PULSE data. The statistics for Westmeath Garda division reflect all crime incidents recorded by An Garda Síochána for that area. The Deputy will be aware that in the most recent crime figures that were released, there were decreases in many crime categories.
There were a few increases as well. Following Operation Thor and the other targeted projects and operations in which the Garda has been involved, we clearly see results. For example, in the Westmeath Garda division the figures show a reduction in burglary of 36%. As I said to Deputy Rabbitte, the quality of crime statistics is a national and international issue. Work is under way in this regard. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, has done two reports on crime statistics already. The second report showed a further improvement in crime recording and classification. It is an ongoing project. The CSO will continue to monitor the statistics that are being gathered.
The inspectorate first identified the issue and then the CSO followed on at my request in terms of looking at the quality of the data. The second review, which was published in September 2016, indicated that the estimated impact of the issues identified in the Garda Inspectorate report in regard to recorded crime is substantially less than was the case in the first review. A strong focus must be kept on the issue. The more resources and training we can give to An Garda Síochána on the issue the better. Many steps have been taken by the Garda in terms of promoting the importance of the issue, sending out information to gardaí and making sure statistics are properly recorded.
Some of the issues raised by the Garda Inspectorate concern the need to maximise procedures to ensure the recording of crimes through GISC, which is in Castlebar. New measures are now in place to improve data quality, including a new incident recording process. We have the upgrades to the system and we have new procedures within An Garda Síochána and the combination of those will mean there can be more confidence in the crime statistics being recorded throughout the country.
I thank the Tánaiste. We must be conscious of time.
I accept the Minister’s bona fides when she says that burglaries have reduced by 36% but I have grave reservations about the reason for the reduction and I am concerned that people are not reporting burglaries. In recent weeks I have attended a number of community alert meetings in my constituency. People at those meetings asked what the point is of reporting a burglary because there is no positive outcome from doing so.
I specifically asked about the number of Garda stations in County Westmeath that are not connected to the PULSE system. The Minister said she would supply a table outlining the information. Are all of the Garda stations in Westmeath PULSE-enabled? Perhaps the Minister could indicate merely “Yes” or “No” and if not, why not? If all the stations are not PULSE-enabled, how can the Minister have confidence in the figures she has supplied today?
I have already made it clear that not all Garda stations are PULSE-enabled but that 92% of the recording of crime by An Garda Síochána is done in the national centre in Castlebar. It is very important to note that. Not having access to PULSE in the local Garda station does not mean that a crime incident will not be recorded because before gardaí finish their shift every evening, they deal directly with the 24-hour service that is based in Castlebar to record incidents of crime.
As I said to Deputy Rabbitte earlier, the advent of mobile technology is probably the direction in which we will go in terms of the recording of crime, but extra money is also available for the PULSE system. The reality is that there was not investment in An Garda Síochána for several years and money was not made available to address issues such as PULSE, which I am sure were identified by previous Governments. Thankfully, with the improvement in the economic situation, the previous Government was in a position to begin the investment in ICT again, which is so essential. Crime statistics are dependent on investment in ICT and there was a lack of such investment for several years due to the economic situation, but that has started again. I again reassure Deputy Troy that the lack of the PULSE system in the local Garda station does not mean that incidents of crime in his area are not being recorded, as they are being recorded through the system in Castlebar.
I accept that information on crime goes to Castlebar and that the system operates on a 24-hour basis. However, the Minister did not respond to the point I made about some people not having confidence in making reports to the Garda about burglary incidents and that may be a reason for the number of burglaries being down by 36%.
In Westmeath, kidnapping is up by 400%, controlled drug offences are up by 100% and there has been a double-digit increase in the incidence of dangerous acts. There is an ongoing level of criminal behaviour in the region although I accept that the number of burglaries is down. Without question the Garda is doing a good job in certain areas, but there are problems in some communities because new gardaí have not been appointed. During the previous Question Time with the Minister I referred to the fact that areas such as Kinnegad and Killucan do not have the full complement of gardaí and that people do not feel confident in coming forward to report burglaries. I am curious to hear whether the Minister is confident that all burglaries or criminal activity is being reported to the local Garda station and that it is being fed into the system in Castlebar.
It remains challenging to deal with criminal activity in every society, including Ireland. That is the reality, but I wish to reference something else which is relevant to what the Deputy said in terms of victims of crime in this country. The CSO first carried out a survey in 2010 on crime and victimisation and the most recent survey was published on 19 October 2016. People were surveyed directly rather than relying on reports to Garda stations by individuals on crime. It is encouraging that the overall trends show that crime levels have broadly remained stable or have reduced slightly in some areas since the previous such survey in 2010. When one looks at both the official CSO statistics and the crime and victimisation survey, one sees a reflection of the fact that there is a reduction in crime, but that is not to denigrate the suffering, distress and upset of an individual who has been the victim of a crime and how we need to work continually to reduce crime levels.
33. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has examined the full transcript of the workings of the O'Higgins commission in detail; if she is satisfied with the role played by the Garda Commissioner in the investigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34852/16]
In the O’Higgins report the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O’Sullivan, questioned the motivation, credibility and integrity of Maurice McCabe. Has the Minister read the transcript of the O'Higgins report? How can she justify leaving the Commissioner in place given that serious questions remain unanswered?
At the outset it is important to correct what might be a misunderstanding in the Deputy's question. In depositing the evidence and documents with the specified Minister in this case, there was no question of my having authority to access that evidence or those documents. The purpose of depositing documentation with the relevant Minister is for safeguarding it. It would be unthinkable that any Minister with whom such documentation is deposited would be free to examine details of proceedings heard in private. To do so would be to set at naught the confidentiality surrounding the commission's proceedings and would be to contravene section 11(3) of the 2004 Act which specifically provides, inter alia, that a person, including a member of the commission, shall not disclose or publish any evidence given in private except in certain restricted circumstances, including as directed by a court.
The act of depositing documents has to be seen as consistent with that obligation and therefore it would not be proper for a Minister or Department to access commission papers except in accordance with the very specific provisions set out in the Act. It is clear too from section 11 that it would be an offence for a Minister to disclose material covered by that section except, again, in the limited circumstances set out in that section.
Section 43 allows for the deposition of evidence and documents in circumstances where a commission is no longer in existence as obviously papers belonging to a commission must be held somewhere.
However, it is clear from the use of the word "deposit" that what is at issue here is the safekeeping of the files pending their ultimate disposal to the National Archives, if appropriate; their production before a tribunal of inquiry, if that becomes relevant; or, similarly, on foot of a court order if one were to be made in the course of judicial proceedings. For that reason I can confirm for the Deputy that I have not examined the transcripts of the O'Higgins commission.
Information not given on the floor of the House
The Deputy may also be aware that, following the referral by me to GSOC of certain allegations which arose following the publication of the O'Higgins commission report, the chairperson of GSOC wrote to me seeking access to certain records of the commission. Having received the Attorney General's advice, I informed the chairperson of GSOC of the necessity to secure a court order directing that the material be provided. While the granting of any such order is a matter for the courts, I will of course comply with any such order, if it is made.
For the reasons set out above, I can confirm for the Deputy that I have not examined the transcripts of the O'Higgins commission of investigation.
It is a bit like a game. The Commissioner asked the Minister to refer the matter to GSOC. GSOC then asked the Commissioner for the transcript. The Commissioner said that under the 2004 Act she cannot give it to GSOC. GSOC then asked the Department of Justice and Equality for it. It used the same reason, namely, that under the 2004 Act and citing legal restrictions on disclosure it cannot give it to GSOC. What was the point of the Commissioner asking the Minister to ask GSOC to look into something if it could not get the transcript? There is no logic to that. Is the Minister telling me that under no circumstances could she, the Minister for Justice and Equality, who is the only person in this country who can hold the Garda Commissioner to account, possibly get the right to look at the transcript? If we want to know the truth about what happened, and we have been told by other sources what was in the transcript, surely she could get access to it if she sought the legal powers to so do.
It is not a game. What I am doing is following proper procedures. The Deputy may be aware that following the referral by me to GSOC of certain allegations which arose following the O'Higgins commission report, the chairperson wrote to me seeking access to certain records of the commission. Having received the Attorney General's advice, I informed the chairperson of GSOC of the necessity to secure a court order, as the legislation envisages, directing that the material be provided. The granting of such an order is a matter for the courts, and I will comply with any such order if it is made. The Deputy seems to be asking me to have a commission of investigation into a commission of investigation.
No. I am not.
The reality is that due procedure is being followed. I have replied to GSOC. It will make its decision with regard to the next steps in terms of accessing the transcript but as the Deputy rightly said, I did refer some of the issues that arose following the O'Higgins commission of investigation to GSOC and I await the outcome of that, but it is not a game. It is following due procedures.
The Minister says she referred it to GSOC but she will not give it the papers. The Minister knows at this stage that Commissioner O'Sullivan questioned the motivation, credibility and integrity of Maurice McCabe. Her legal team claimed that at a meeting in Mullingar with a superintendent and another garda, Maurice McCabe had behaved in such a manner. The legal team for Maurice McCabe asked the legal team for the Commissioner to go outside the room and check with the Commissioner if she wanted to stick to that story. He came back into the room and said, "Right the way through." What happened then? Maurice McCabe produced the tape and the whole thing was dropped. If the Commissioner had nothing to do with the fabrication of the contents of what was said at the Mullingar meeting, why did she not act against the two gardaí in question? The Minister might be interested to know that when the superintendent in question, Noel Cunningham, heard that the Commissioner had referred the issue to GSOC, he said, "Nóirín has thrown me under the bus." It is plain as black and white.
Unlike the Deputy, I believe it is important that we follow the procedures outlined.
The Commissioner did not.
It is important that I follow the law and follow the procedures outlined for the investigation of such issues-----
I am not asking the Minister to break the law.
-----and that is what I have done. I am saying to the Deputy that I have referred the various issues that arose to GSOC. I have said previously that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the purported transcripts leaked from the O'Higgins commission. For the reasons I have explained, I do not have access to the details of all that happened at the commission, and neither does the Deputy.
The Minister could get them if she wanted to.
There are procedures to be followed in regard to that, as I said to the Deputy. The person who had access to everything that happened at the commission and who heard all the evidence was Mr. Justice O'Higgins, and it was entirely a matter for him as to what he would choose to include in his report. He did not make criticisms of the kind being made by Deputy Wallace.
That was not in the remit.
The Government fully accepts the commission's findings. I do not believe that when this House establishes commissions of investigation we can adopt an à la carte approach to their findings.
The Minister is the only one who can hold the Commissioner to account and she is not doing so.
34. Deputy John Lahart asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda stations and the number of gardaí in the Dublin southern metropolitan region on 31 October 2010 and on 31 October 2016; the proportion of the proposed 800 additional recruits in 2017 that are likely to be assigned to the Dublin southern metropolitan region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34734/16]
As I have said to other Deputies, for ease of reference I have provided a breakdown of the detailed information requested on the number of Garda stations and the number of gardaí assigned to the DMR south division and the DMR south central division on 31 October 2010 and 30 September 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available. There is quite a lot of detail in that and I will be forwarding that to the Deputy today. When the extra gardaí are recruited it is an operational matter as to where they will serve. That operational decision is made by the Garda Commissioner and as I said in reply to an earlier question from Deputy Murphy and Deputy Lahart's other colleagues, we want to see gardaí being assigned to the areas that need them most and that has to be assessed looking at population trends, crime levels and so on.
We are committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. As I said, there were decreases in many crime categories, and that was also reflected in the victimisation study that was done. It is important to look at both sets of data. There was a 26% reduction nationwide in burglaries but a huge effort was made and a dedicated operation put in place, which involved high visibility and extra Garda presence, and money was allocated in order to make sure this was successful.
We are attempting to put in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021. That is 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. That recruitment will begin next year after the survey has been done and the work has been done by An Garda Síochána. In terms of next year, I assure the Deputy that funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and civilians to support that plan.
I am tempted to say the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport does not seem to hold back when it comes to talking about matters under the operational control of the Commissioner, but that would take away from the time I want to devote to this issue. Having lived there all my life, I acknowledge that my constituency has seen unprecedented spikes in crime, particularly from mid-2014 to the end of 2014. The Minister might pass on to the Garda Commissioner and the gardaí in Rathfarnham and Tallaght in particular that I commend them on their work, particularly in effecting change in the burglary statistics, which is very welcome. That is evident on the ground anecdotally in terms of the reality of people's lives. However, there are still areas of serious concern. The rise in sexual offences seems to be continuing. Those offences are not categorised, and I do not know if the Minister is in a position to comment on them. Assaults, theft and related offences are still higher than in 2014. When I look at the figures for Rathfarnham Garda station in my constituency and in Tallaght Garda station, there has been a huge spike in theft from persons. Those figures are under street crimes, which I will comment on further shortly.
I agree with the Deputy that the challenge is ongoing with regard to criminal activity. We are also seeing increased levels of cyber crime, and gardaí are having to put more resources into dealing with that. A national conference was held on that today.
That is a significant threat, both in Ireland and internationally, and we have to increase the resources and provide the technical staff that are needed to deal with the issue. There is a number of other disturbing trends, as the Deputy said, in respect of sexual crime and the incidence of domestic violence, and we all have to be alert to interrupting that. Tomorrow I will launch a new awareness strategy with regard to domestic violence to ensure that people act when they see incidents of domestic violence.
In the context of Deputy Lahart's area, of the officers who have attested as members of An Garda Síochána, 40 and 45 have been assigned to the DMR south division and the DMR south-central division, respectively, and we have another 150 trainee gardaí coming out on Thursday next.
I welcome that, but we are still short when one compares the numbers, for example, in Limerick city and county with this metropolitan region. The number of gardaí serving in Limerick city and county is almost twice that of those serving in Tallaght and Rathfarnham. I appreciate that there is a great deal of investment in cars, and certainly they are visible around the constituency, but the garda on the beat is still not visible. I think of two instances. In one, there was repeated anti-social behaviour two weeks ago in the vicinity of a community centre in Jobstown. Said behaviour is causing havoc and I have written to the Garda Commissioner in respect of it. People who contacted the Garda were informed that there was only one car available and that it was dealing with another crime. This is giving rise to much concern locally. I do not want to stigmatise Jobstown. In Rathfarnham, according to the figures I possess, burglaries are down but robberies from the person are up 57% year on year. The latter are on-street crimes and it is in respect of these that gardaí on the beat and a visible garda presence, including, potentially, that of members of the Garda Reserve, would make a considerable difference to communities.
As I said, an Garda Síochána is currently conducting an analysis of the reserve and will be making recommendations. That report is almost ready. Recruitment will begin next year for the Garda Reserve. I agree with Deputy Lahart that they certainly have a role to play as well.
I take the Deputy's point in respect of anti-social behaviour and the devastating impact it can have on a local community. Clearly, ongoing recruitment, focused activity and community policing are important in order to deal with that. The development of and further work by community police has been identified as a priority in this year's policing plan, which is due for discussion by the Policing Authority.
35. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda stations and the number of gardaí in each station in County Clare on 31 October 2010 and 31 October 2016; the proportion of the proposed 800 additional recruits in 2017 who are likely to be assigned to County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34683/16]
I ask the Tánaiste to outline the number of gardaí in each of the stations in Clare on 31 October 2010 and 31 October 2016 and to indicate the proposed number of gardaí from the 800 additional officers to be recruited in 2017 who will be assigned to County Clare. I do not expect the Tánaiste to provide the exact breakdown by station in that regard, but she might give me an idea of how many additional gardaí will be available to the area concerned.
In terms of allocating gardaí, it is important, in the first instance, that recruitment continues and that we have more gardaí coming out of Templemore. As I said, we have over 150 coming out on Thursday next. It is important that they have proper supervision to begin with. The O'Higgins report identified that when gardaí are being trained, it is really important that they are properly supervised when they go out into the community. We want to ensure that will be the case.
I have provided to the Deputy details on the Clare division, in October 2010 and 2016, respectively. The number of gardaí in the Clare Garda division, as of 31 October 2010, was 331 and in 2016, it was 292. The number of officers at stations throughout the country is building back up to the level it was at when the boom was at its height. Of course, that proved not to be sustainable and recruitment stopped. This resulted in the difficulties the Deputy has been referencing. As of now, there are 292 gardaí in the 17 stations in the Clare division.
As already stated, we plan further recruitment for the reserve, which will help, and ongoing recruitment this year. I have given the Deputy the breakdown in respect of the number of Garda stations in the Clare division.
While it may be difficult for the Tánaiste to provide the numbers that will be available from the 2017 cohort, I would appreciate if she could provide me with that number. If it is not available to her, perhaps she might at least recognise the need to deploy additional gardaí in Clare. The figures the Tánaiste provided show a significant drop of 39 in the number of gardaí serving in Clare between 2010 and 2016. While I accept that the crime figures have improved in some categories, many categories have shown increases. Sexual offences, theft and assault all are up in 2016 relative to 2014.
It is vital that Clare gets its fair share of any additional recruitment coming on stream, not only over the lifetime of the Government but right from the start. As recruits become available in 2017, I will be making a strong case that Clare be included in the context of their deployment. We need to see Garda levels back to what they once were. I accept and recognise the reasons numbers have fallen. There is no point talking about the historical aspect of it. Let us look to the future. Over the period to which I refer, nine stations in Clare were closed. One aspect difficult for me to have to accept is that the number of community gardaí was halved during the period in question. There is demand and there is a need. I ask the Tánaiste to give consideration to the dispersal of the new recruits.
Deputy Dooley knows as well as I do that all front-line services were affected by the economic disaster that was visited upon the country. Thankfully, we are now recovering. In the context of policing, that recovery has given rise to the new recruitment I have outlined.
It is worthwhile noting, in terms of the deployment of probationary gardaí, that the Garda Commissioner has deployed gardaí right across the country to almost every division so that every area has benefited from the recruitment. Clearly, every Deputy wants to see it accelerated in his or her area and to have more community police in place.
The recruitment drive next year will ensure that there will be more gardaí available. However, I believe that we have to look carefully - this is what the Garda Inspectorate is examining - at the deployment of such resources. It has to be based on the reality of situations on the ground and the crime figures and population trends have to be analysed. I repeat, as Deputy Dooley will be well aware, that it is the Garda Commissioner who makes these decisions. I can be responsible for policy, budget and recruitment, but it is the Garda Commissioner who will make the detailed decisions about where gardaí should be deployed throughout the country. That is as it should be.
I accept that. I recognise that the Tánaiste's role is at a policy level. It was her predecessor who introduced the policy of smart policing that led to the closure of Garda stations - I recognise that there was a necessity to do that in some instances. His idea at the time was that gardaí driving around in rural areas was an adequate policing system. I disagree fundamentally with that because I do not believe that it either gave confidence to local communities or that it was appropriate to address the risk associated with mobile criminal gangs. Nothing substitutes for gardaí remaining in an area, being close to the people and having a connection with them. Smart policing, as I see it, based on the way the previous Minister defined it as gardaí driving through rural areas and making something like one visit per week, is not the appropriate model. I hope that, through the Tánaiste's good offices and her different approach to the Department of Justice and Equality, she would impress upon the Commissioner the necessity to have a much greater link between the Garda and the community. That speaks to the necessity to have community policing front and centre in the context of the overall policing strategy, a matter in respect of which the Tánaiste does, in consultation with the Commission, have an input.
I would add to what Deputy Dooley says that what is really important is that gardaí work in partnership with local community groups and businesses. We see some good models throughout the country where they are working, for example, with the local taxi drivers, businesses, community text alert groups, community alert and neighbourhood watch. We have increased the funding for the community alert and neighbourhood watch schemes this year in order that they can be even more effective. It is built on voluntary efforts, and that is really important. That is part of protecting rural communities.
The protection of rural communities was a key consideration for me in the broad review of the response to burglary and related crimes that I initiated in early 2015 and also in the new legislation I introduced, which means that the courts have the opportunity to impose concurrent sentences on those repeat offenders.
It was a huge concern to people in both urban and rural communities to see repeat offenders not serving the length of sentences they believed they ought to serve, given the number of offences in which they were involved. We brought in the new legislation with the support of everybody in the House and that has been very important.
36. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if recorded crime statistics for County Mayo are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area; if all Garda stations in County Mayo have access to the PULSE system; if not, the details of the stations without access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34727/16]
Can people in Mayo have confidence that the recorded crime statistics for the area are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area? Do all Garda stations in Mayo have access to the PULSE system and, if not, will the Minister provide details of the stations that do not have access and make a statement on the matter?
Crime statistics are compiled by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, based on PULSE data and the statistics for Mayo Garda division reflect all crime incidents recorded by An Garda Síochána for that area. In the most recent CSO figures, for the second quarter of 2016, there were decreases in many crime categories. This reflects the success of the concerted Garda drive against crime being implemented under Operation Thor. In Mayo Garda division, the figures show a reduction in burglary of 22%. That will be welcomed by everybody.
We have had the two reviews of the statistics and the Deputy will have heard the points I made earlier in that regard, so I will not repeat them. When looking at the CSO statistics and raising questions about them, it is important that people also look at the victimisation survey, which reflected decreases as well. That is carried out directly by the CSO with victims. It is a community survey and it is important to reflect on that.
The Deputy will be aware that most crime incidents are recorded via the Garda information services centre, GISC, based in Castlebar. This provides a round-the-clock service which enables gardaí to phone in details of a crime incident, and specially trained staff in GISC facilitate its correct recording and classification on PULSE. As a result, a lack of access to PULSE in a particular Garda station should not prevent the accurate recording of crime data. In fact, the latest information from the Garda authorities is that 92% of crime incidents are recorded via GISC, with the balance being recorded by gardaí directly on PULSE.
Some of the issues raised by the Garda Inspectorate regarding crime statistics concerned the need for procedures to ensure that the recording of crimes through GISC is maximised, because obviously there are issues in that regard as well. An Garda Síochána has introduced new measures in recent times to improve data quality, including a new incident recording process. This, together with important upgrades of the PULSE system during 2015, is supporting the improvement of Garda crime data as well as procedures for the supervision of investigations. The supervision of investigations is an important element in ensuring that crimes are recorded properly and that new recruits are supervised.
I am glad the Tánaiste mentioned the Garda Inspectorate and its report on the recording of crime data. She will be aware that the Garda Inspectorate was quite scathing in its analysis of how crime was recorded. The latest figures show that one fifth of all crime is not properly recorded on PULSE. The Garda Inspectorate has published 11 reports in the past nine years. There were almost 600 recommendations. Most of them were accepted but many were not implemented. The question was posed to the Minister as to why the changes were not made sooner and why the 2014 report had to be so scathing. The Garda Inspectorate says it found serious failures in recording classification and reclassification of crimes. I asked if the people of Mayo can rely on the CSO figures. The Tánaiste says they are the figures as recorded, and I accept that, but the difficulty or concern people have is whether crimes are being recorded properly and thoroughly. The Tánaiste says new measures have been put in place. Are those measures effective and has the Tánaiste carried out an analysis or conducted an investigation of their effectiveness? The Garda Commissioner gave a commitment to reform how officers record crime. Has the Tánaiste spoken to her about that? What efforts has the Garda Commissioner made to do this and has she reported back to the Tánaiste on same?
The CSO is investigating that. After the first Garda Inspectorate report relating to crime statistics was published, I met with the CSO and discussed this issue because I was concerned about it. The good news is that it did it again the following year and reported that there were improvements. On the Deputy's question about monitoring, this is being monitored by the CSO and it has been able to say that the crime statistics should be published. That is important because their publication was suspended for a number of months while the CSO did its survey and carried out the work in this regard. When the Garda Inspectorate reported, it made many recommendations. Over 1,000 recommendations have come from the Garda Inspectorate and clearly the Garda Commissioner must respond to them.
However, we also have an independent Policing Authority and it has an oversight role regarding the implementation of the various recommendations. It meets with the Garda on a regular basis about the recommendations relating to improving the work the Garda Síochána does and to ensure various issues are identified in terms of the resources it needs. That work is now being done by an independent body outside of the Government, which is what this House wanted. It is important that we respect the work being done there as well.
That does not answer the question I asked. The Tánaiste mentioned that new measures are being implemented to ensure that the Garda information services centre operates effectively. I asked what those measures were and if that is being monitored. It might be of interest to the Tánaiste and her Department that there was a meeting in September of the Castlebar municipal district council which was attended by the local superintendent and chief superintendent. While they said that overall crime was down, they were concerned that the incidence of drug possession was up by 106% in the constituency. Interestingly, the meeting was told by the superintendent and chief superintendent that the number of drug searches had increased in that period. The increase in the number of searches had led to an increase in detection and, therefore, the increase of 106% in possession offences. This shows that increased policing leads to increased detection and prosecutions. There is a direct correlation, so if there is less policing and fewer resources there will be less detection.
I also wish to highlight my serious concern about the increase in the number of sexual offences recorded in the constituency. It has increased by 46% over a two year period, which is a worrying figure. What will the Tánaiste and her Department do to tackle this increasing incidence of sexual offences not just in County Mayo but at national level?
Following the Garda Inspectorate report on crime investigation, the Garda Commissioner established a strategic transformation team to oversee work to implement a broad range of recommendations. They are being implemented and that is being correlated by the work of the CSO. That is my point. Initiatives were taken to improve the statistics and it is clear from the CSO report that there are improvements. There is still work to be done. It will not happen overnight. However, we have an independent body, the CSO, monitoring the statistics and continuing to report on their reliability. I reiterate that the reliability of crime statistics is an international and complex issue. We must do all we can to ensure and enhance the integrity of crime statistics because it is an important public confidence measure. I totally accept that point.
38. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if recorded crime statistics for counties Sligo and Leitrim are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area; if all Garda stations in counties Sligo and Leitrim have access to the PULSE system; if not, the details of the stations without access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34729/16]
This is a similar question. It is whether the people of Sligo can have confidence that the recorded crime statistics for the area are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area, whether all Garda stations in Sligo and Leitrim have access to the PULSE system and, if not, if the Tánaiste can provide details of the stations without access. It would also be remiss of me not to raise the issue of an Iranian national in direct provision in Globe House in Sligo who has been on hunger strike for 36 days. His name is Amjad Rosstami and I understand he has been moved to Sligo University Hospital. This relates to a deportation order.
Deputy, you are straying beyond the question you tabled.
I know, but there is no question that the man's life is in danger. I ask the Minister to consider rescinding that deportation order until such time as this case can be investigated properly.
I understand that progress has been made on that case. We all share the Deputy's concern about the humanitarian issues that arise in that situation.
To return to the question tabled by the Deputy, a concerted Garda drive against crime is being implemented under Operation Thor, and in Sligo and Leitrim Garda divisions the figures show a reduction in burglary of 25%.
Given that the Deputy has been in the Chamber, I will not repeat what I have already said. A number of Deputies asked the same question regarding their particular areas. The same resource allocation issues arise for the Deputy's area as in other areas. Continued recruitment is key and there is an agreement in the programme for Government that we will have a police force of 15,000 over the coming years. Increased civilianisation is very important as is recruiting more members of the Garda Reserve. We have improved procedures. There is work to be done on confidence in the statistics and it is ongoing. I have already said it is an international issue and that 92% of crimes that are reported by the Garda come in through the GISC in Castlebar. I hope to see a move to more mobile technology being used by the Garda Síochána. It is one of the key initiatives, along with improving the PULSE system, we will need to take in terms of the technology available to gardaí, the same as what we see in New York and other places where police are using iPads and phones to access information and record crimes.
We in Ballymote are very fortunate to have a very modern Garda station which caters for the south-east and west of County Sligo. However, there is an issue with the Garda station in Sligo town. It is a very outdated building and more than 100 personnel work there on a daily basis. Could the Minister use her good offices to try to progress the proposed new Garda station for Sligo town? We all recognise the work done by gardaí.
It is important they have proper working conditions. I would appreciate any support. While we are fortunate in our area, there have been increases in a number of crimes such as controlled drug offences and sexual offences, which is a little worrying. All other crimes, such as robbery and extortion, seem to have decreased in 2016.
Many Deputies have mentioned household crime, or burglaries. In the year ending in the third quarter of 2015, household crime was at its lowest level since the crime and victimisation survey which began in 1998, when it was 12%. We need to recognise that the fear of crime can be an issue for people and can, sometimes, be greater than what is happening in an area. I do not for a moment underestimate the impact one crime has on one person. One crime is one too many. We must recognise that there have been successes by the Garda Síochána regarding various categories of crime. There are other issues, as Deputies have identified, regarding sexual crimes and instances of domestic violence and we need to focus on those issues as well as continuing the fight against burglaries that we have seen.
39. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if recorded crime statistics for the Dublin western metropolitan region are an accurate reflection of the reality of crime in the area; if all Garda stations in the Dublin western metropolitan region have access to the PULSE system; if not, the details of the stations without access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34735/16]
As I said, the availability of PULSE is not a prerequisite for the recording of Garda crime statistics. Some 92% to 93% will go through the GISC in Castlebar, and this applies to the Deputy's area as well as others. I have given the breakdown in the Deputy's area. Regarding the point he made about crime statistics, the Garda Inspectorate noted the CSO's report on the review of the quality of crime statistics. The report reiterated issues that were found in the report of the Garda Inspectorate on crime investigation and there were various issues, including the non-recording of crime, misclassification of crime, unjustified downgrading of crime to a less serious offence and the incorrect recording of detections. We cannot tolerate poor recording practices and we must work continuously to ensure they are improved.
Since November 2015, there has been a new Garda Síochána crime management system in place, and it was introduced to address many of the issues which the Garda Inspectorate report identified. We have a variety of initiatives such as the changes in Garda management in terms of the recording of statistics. We have the new procedures, which have been circulated to all members to use, so the recording of crime is more accurate. There is an increased awareness of the importance of the issue. At the request of the House, the Policing Authority is providing independent oversight of the police. The CSO recorded crime statistics for the second quarter of 2016 show important reductions in property crime over the 12 months ending in June 2016, confirming the success of the Garda strategy under Operation Thor, with burglary reduced by 26%, robbery 11%, theft 12%, homicide 3.2%, weapons offences 11.7% and public order 5.1%. This has been confirmed in the crime and victimisation survey. Significant challenges remain in various areas. There is an ongoing effort by the Garda Síochána to combat crime. We want to give the Garda the resources to do it, and this and the previous Government have been doing it.
