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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Dec 2001

Vol. 168 No. 24

Adjournment Matters. - Garda Deployment.

I thank the Chair for giving me the opportunity to raise this matter. There are two full-time gardaí appointed to Newport Garda station, County Mayo, one of whom spent six days in the last two months in the station while the other was present for 12 days. The local community believes that the Garda presence has diminished substantially. People must travel to Westport and other larger centres to have Garda forms for passports and driving licences signed and for other services. The neighbourhood watch scheme no longer functions, especially in rural areas. There is no visible Garda presence which is seriously affecting the relationship between young people and the force. Local people believe that this is not in the long-term interests of law and order.

In 1991 the station sergeant retired and no replacement was appointed. The two gardaí assigned to the station spend most of their time working in the bigger centres, particularly Westport, providing relief for gardaí stationed there. There are 20 gardaí and three sergeants in Westport. While I acknowledge this is necessary in a growing town, the town of Newport which has a population of 700 and district which has a population of about 2,500 are left without a service. While it is a town which has grown in size and stature, it does not have an adequate Garda presence.

The number of court cases and incidents in Newport illustrate the effects of the Garda absence. The area's chief superintendent and superintendent believe that the easiest way to address staffing levels in Westport is to take personnel away from Newport. However, it diminishes the Garda's importance in the eyes of local people and the protection it provides in the town. The Minister must ask the Commissioner to appoint a sergeant to Newport Garda station to ensure proper representation of gardaí, allow it to properly serve a growing community and be able to protect the local population, particularly the elderly.

I am grateful to the Senator for giving me this opportunity to set out for the benefit of the House the policing arrangements in Newport, County Mayo. As he will appreciate, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is responsible for the overall provision of resources for the Garda Síochána, while the Garda authorities are responsible for the detailed allocation of personnel and resources to individual areas.

In respect of overall resources provided for the Garda, the House will be well aware that since the Government took office the strength of the force has increased consistently. It has grown from 10,800 in 1997 to more than 11,750 today. Last year the Government approved proposals from the Minister for a Garda recruitment competition from which 500 applicants are being called. The competition will fulfil the commitment in the programme for government to increase the strength of the force to 12,000. The Minister recently approved the holding of a further competition early next year to recruit an additional 300 Garda trainees. As I have said, recruitment already under way will bring Garda strength up to an all-time high of 12,000 in 2002 and the recruitment of these additional 300 Garda trainees will ensure strength is maintained at that level.

The commitment to a 12,000-strong force is a key priority for the Government. It a clear sign that it is delivering on its commitments to give the Garda the necessary resources to enforce the law, clamp down on anti-social behaviour and fight crime. Having delivered on that commitment, the Minister is determined to maintain Garda strength at this level. The new competition – the first in which there will be no height requirement – will be advertised early in the new year.

As well as increasing the force's strength, additional financial resources have also been provided. The provision in the Garda Vote in 1997 was £457 million while next year's provision is over £722 million, a significant increase by any standards. Never in the history of the State have more resources been allocated to combating crime, purchasing modern technology and equipment for the Garda and ensuring the number of personnel increases. Furthermore, we also had a major prison building programme to ensure those convicted of crime serve their sentences.

On the question of Garda strength in Newport, the Minister has been informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of Newport Garda station is two gardaí. This has been the position for a number of years. Supervision of gardaí attached to Newport is carried out by sergeants attached to the district headquarters in Westport. Garda management is satisfied that the arrangements in place in Newport are adequate to meet the present policing needs of the area. Garda personnel assigned throughout the area, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures optimum use is made of Garda resources and that the best possible service is provided for the public.

Garda management will continue to appraise policing and administrative strategy in Newport with a view to ensuring an effective service is maintained and when additional manpower next becomes available the Minister has been that assured that Newport's needs will be fully considered in the overall context of the needs of Garda districts throughout the country.

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