Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share Deputy O'Callaghan's surprise - if he did express surprise - regarding both of the issues he raised. I was surprises to learn that on any one day there may be fewer that 50% of the members of the Garda on front-line duty. I raised this issue with the Garda in the context of my regular meetings with the management of the force. A new rostering duty management system is being introduced and that should deal with the issue in a way that ensures a level of public satisfaction. I regard availability and visibility on the part of the Garda Síochána as being core to their duty. We have had a debate on Garda resources and numbers. I am pleased that we are on track in respect of Garda numbers. The overall strength of the Garda should be 21,000 by 2021. I am attending at Templemore on Friday next, 15 June 2018, to see a further complement of 200 new, ambitious, energetic gardaí coming on stream, all of whom will be stationed in posts throughout the country in two weeks or thereabouts. I acknowledge that the deployment of personnel is a function of the Garda Commissioner but, having fewer than 50% of gardaí on front-line duty is something that must be improved upon. The programme of civilianisation needs to be accelerated because the more civilians we have doing work that might be more appropriate to them in terms of bookkeeping, finances, accounts, form-filling and so on, the more that will allow for a greater level of availability of gardaí for front-line duty and service. I agree with Deputy O'Callaghan's viewpoint.

On the question of infrastructure to allow the immediate detection of the status of a person's driving licence in the context of whether he or she has penalty points or a disqualification, not having that vital piece of infrastructure is unsatisfactory. There is a role for the Road Safety Authority and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in this regard but I am disappointed that this type of infrastructure is not available to An Garda Síochána, particularly having regard to the unprecedented level of funding - of the order of €1.6 billion - available for disbursement by the Commissioner and his team. I expect that the ongoing roll-out of IT services will facilitate, at an early date, the type of detection and scrutiny that is important. Having regard to the fact that everybody who is disqualified from driving, While the fact that a person is disqualified from driving might not be listed on his or her licence and thereby immediately know to the Garda, if he or she drives, he or she is effectively doing so without insurance. This is a very careless and dangerous practice for anybody who thinks he or she can evade the law. I would be happy to report to the committee because it is something I would like to see done.