James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Commissioner for his opening remarks. To ensure members of the committee are aware, I will lead out the questions, while Deputy Daly will take the second slot and Deputy Alan Farrell will take the subsequent one. I will rotate it at 3 p.m. There is a five-minute block for each member, to include questions and answers. I think most members are familiar with this approach now. I will indicate the next three speakers in advance as we go through to enable members to be aware when they are coming in.

Linked to the events of Thursday night, and to our policing module in general, one of the complaints has concerned the visibility of the force, including the lack of foot patrols and a police presence in the city centre and elsewhere. This week, I looked at what is often referred to as the disclosures report from Mr. Justice Peter Charleton. He did a very thorough review of the Garda and operational issues in 2018. I appreciate that the current Commissioner was in not the job at the time. The third recommendation in that report, however, was that gardaí should be visible. I will read a short extract from that report:

In contrast to ... cities, such as Rome and London and Athens ... the extraordinary aspect of our police force is that [in Ireland] they keep themselves isolated in police stations and then transport themselves around in squad cars. It is extraordinarily rare that gardaí are seen in uniform on the streets. ... People behave well, generally, in the presence of uniformed officers of the law ... So, where are the gardaí? ... Ireland, while not having any immediate terrorist threat, but with a serious organised crime problem, has a real problem due to the invisibility of our police force. ... Everyone serving in the police should give a portion of the day to foot and bicycle patrols.

It is often commented on, and I bear witness to this as I walk about Dublin city regularly, that there are not enough gardaí, or, at times, any gardaí, on the streets. Why is this? Is it about to change?