As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of the resources.
Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána. The role of a community Garda is not a specialist role in An Garda Síochána; rather all Gardaí engage in community policing while carrying out their normal duties. The official categorisation of Community Garda refers to those exclusively assigned to building relationships with local communities and civil society which includes giving talks to schools, community groups and others.
I am assured by the Commissioner that the Garda National Model of Community Policing plays a key part in responding to crime. The Model advocates a partnership based, community based style of policing to prevent and deter crime and works through initiatives such as Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert, Text Alert and the Garda Schools Programme as well as through more formal structures such as Joint Policing Committees. While building trust and enhancing the quality of life of the community each Garda Division’s specialist Crime Prevention Officers (CPOs) are trained to encourage, promote and advise on crime prevention. The objectives of the community policing model include high visibility in the community, ease of contact by members of the public, and enhanced support for crime prevention strategies.
The National Community Policing Office which is attached to the Garda Community Engagement Bureau, captures best practice in community policing initiatives and disseminates these practices through its communication network.
This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. To achieve this the Government has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. We are making real, tangible progress on achieving this goal.
The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Division as new Garda recruits come on stream.
I am informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, almost 2,000 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. Garda numbers, taking account of retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 – a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016. This year a further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College and we are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.
In addition, a further 500 civilians will also be recruited to fill critical skills gaps across the organisation and to facilitate the redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and technical duties to front-line operational duties. There are plans to strengthen the Garda Reserve with new Reserves expected to commence training in 2018.
This focus on investment in personnel is critical and I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce to ensure that the overall vision for 2021 remains on track.
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that payroll costs for new Garda recruits include a basic allowance of €184 per week. After 32 weeks of training, Garda Recruits are attested and move on to the first point of the Garda pay scale €29,669 rising to a maximum of €51,693 per annum after 19 years. They may also qualify for other allowances depending on their assignments.
I am further informed that the annual payroll cost of 100 new recruits in their first year including that training period (assuming a commencement date of 1st January each year) is €2,293,888; and in their second year €4,563,704. This figure includes Employer's PRSI and an estimation of allowances which the recruits may qualify for following attestation. The annual cost will increase as the members' move up the Garda Pay scale each year.
The attached table, as supplied by the Commissioner, sets out the latest figures for Community Gardaí by Division and Station.
PQ 1212 Community Garda May '18
