Garda Operations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 June 2013

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Ceisteanna (159)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Ceist:

159. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of extra Gardaí that were drafted into Roscommon town for the funeral of Ruairí Ó Brádaigh last Saturday, and also for the removal the previous evening; the person who organised-managed the policing of the funeral; the amount this exercise cost in overtime and extra payments; what the Garda feel set off the disturbances in the graveyard; if the Garda had prior permission from the church to enter church grounds to film mourners; and his views on whether the size and approach of the operation was warranted in the circumstances. [29475/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

For security and operational reasons, it is not Garda policy and it would not be in the public interest to disclose detailed information of a kind that could potentially have an operational impact on policing arrangements, including the numbers of Gardaí deployed on an ongoing daily basis. The Garda Síochána is statutorily required to provide policing services for the State with the aim of preserving public order and protecting life and property. In this regard, Garda resources are allocated by the Commissioner and his senior management team according to, inter alia, the assessed threat of breaches of the criminal law. The costs involved in this specific operation will be met from within the overall Garda vote and a breakdown is not readily available.