Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a high-level management team in An Garda Síochána that has been working for some time and that will deal with any organisational proposals or changes that might evolve in the context of Brexit. It is engaged in ongoing discussions with my Department. We meet with the Garda Commissioner on a regular basis and we did so specifically to discuss the issue of contingency planning for Brexit. However, notwithstanding that, we are not engaged in the making of arrangements for what has been described as a hard border. As Members will be aware from their discussions with him, the Garda Commissioner is solely responsible for the allocation of Garda resources.

He has indicated that he intends this year to recruit a further 600 trainees. The manner in which they are dispersed or allocated to stations is something he keeps under periodic review. I stress that there is no planning on the part of the Government for the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland. That said, Deputy Fitzpatrick, in particular, will be familiar with the Border area and Border policing. In any frontier or where a border between jurisdictions exists, a unique need for vigilance will arise having regard to the smuggling of property or people and the organised crime for which borders tend to hold an allure. The Garda Commissioner and his management team are very aware of that.