Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Brophy asked about the deployment of those who were being recruited. Let me stress that deployment is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner. I do not interfere in any way whatsoever in the deployment of members of An Garda Síochána. That may have happened many years ago but it certainly did not happen under the previous Government and it will not happen under this Government. Deployment is an operational issue for An Garda Síochána.

The Garda Inspectorate focused in its assessment of An Garda Síochána on the point that deployment is linked to levels of crime in different areas, and that it has to be appropriate deployment. In relation to those who were recruited in the past number of years, gardaí have been deployed all over the country in both urban and rural areas. It is the Commissioner's job to assess the precise location for the new recruits. I believe it has been done in a fair and objective manner, and the important point is to accelerate recruitment. We know that the economic situation impacted seriously on An Garda Síochána. There has been no recruitment since 2008 and Templemore was closed. There was no investment in vehicles. Members have heard stories about the lack of vehicles, but there has been significant investment of tens of millions in new vehicles that are better suited to the demands of modern policing. The vehicles are more appropriate to deal with the criminal gangs and their resources. Garda deployment is very much an operational matter. If we recruit more gardaí, we can deal with the impact the economic recession had on An Garda Síochána by making sure there are more members to be allocated.

Brexit will have many implications for the Department of Justice and Equality. I met the Minister at the Department of Justice, Ms Claire Sugden, at the North-South Crime Conference in Enniskillen last week. This is a very welcome initiative that takes place between North and South with the highest levels of management of the PSNI and An Garda Síochána meeting and discussing cross-Border work. The relationship has never been better between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána.

It is a very good basis on which to go into discussions in the justice area regarding Brexit. At ministerial level, the relationship has never been better. This means we are starting from a very good base in discussing the very serious justice issues that arise. At the meeting, I was told that the officials in Northern Ireland have been analysing the impact of Brexit and carrying out a risk assessment. There are 18 items of legislation in the family law area, 11 of which impact Northern Ireland, regarding which they are examining the domestic, international and EU legislation and analysing what will change in the context of Brexit. This is just one area.

We recently had some very serious issues regarding illegal immigration and sham marriages, and there has been cross-Border co-operation on them. We will continue to work on immigration issues together. There is a new task force arising from the Fresh Start agreement and it has focused on cross-Border work on child pornography. The task force has done very detailed operations on rural crime North and South which have had good impact. A number of people are being prosecuted. Both groups are working on a range of other areas. Issues relating to the common travel area are key to the justice sphere, and working through the implications of Brexit. We have started this work and have held ministerial meetings and meetings between officials. Our Secretaries General are in London today meeting the Home Office officials and also their counterparts from all UK Government Departments. There is a huge amount of focus on the issue. The very important point is that we do not want anything to interfere with the peace process.