Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I am not kidding myself. This is the party that has a baseball bat in one hand and an election poster in the other. It is time for them to make that step from the gun and the baseball bat to democracy. If they do that it will be welcome and overdue. To sit in a democratic Parliament and mouth the words it has just mouthed is insincere and hypocritical in the absence of such a commitment and decision from the party and its different organisations, which are all the one.

The issue of the Garda is one on which the Government campaigned strongly. In The Irish Times of the election date on www.ireland.com the security correspondent wrote that the significant difference between Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party, Fine Gael and others was on the key issue of the Garda, and the fact that Fianna Fáil promised to recruit an extra 2,000 gardaí two years ago. This was the first time that had been proposed and it was an important and significant development. Obviously it was expected that would happen within weeks or months. We are two years down the road and still waiting for a fundamental change in the number of gardaí on our streets in towns, cities and communities. It was a con job by the Government in the general election campaign but we intend to hold it to that promise. We will continue to push for more and a better resourced Garda capable of providing a 21st century service to which the public is entitled.

An issue that arose recently was the number of gardaí on duty on St. Patrick's Day. We read in the national newspapers prior to the day that more gardaí would be on duty in Dublin and in cities and towns and everybody thought that was great. When it was over we heard there were more gardaí on duty on St. Patrick's Day around the country than ever before. However, when one tables a Dáil question and asks specifically about County Louth and how many gardaí were on duty in the towns of Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee on St. Patrick's Day one is told that information is not available, that it is a reserve function of the Garda Commissioner to keep secret as an operational matter.

Where is the transparency and openness on Garda policy? What PR stunt is being pulled by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the context of the number of gardaí on duty post the event? I do not want to know how many will be on duty tomorrow in Dublin city or any of those operational matters which it is important should not become public. After the event, surely the political system and the public are entitled to know if we are being protected or if it is all rubbish and PR stunts from the Government and, particularly, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I am appalled at the lack of information on a basic fundamental issue of how many gardaí are on duty, where they are and what they are doing post the event. I hope this will be covered in the Bill.

I note the Bill refers to changed fundamental approaches between the Garda and the local community. One of those changes is important and useful as it involves local authorities in local police issues. Recently in Dundalk an important public meeting was attended by the Garda and local authority members which was fully reported on in the local newspapers. This was the first indication of a new move between the Garda and the community, led by the political system. This is the type of policing the people need in their local communities — transparency, openness and co-operation between the Garda and the community. The local elected representatives are the proper people to debate the issue and inform Garda opinion. I welcome that move which is welcome also by the Garda who do a good job.

One of the key issues in Ireland is the lack of CCTV in many towns and cities, although it is in some of the major cities. In regard to modern policing, the Garda superintendent in Dundalk made it clear that is what he wants. He was photographed in the newspaper with approximately 16 screens behind him. People in Dundalk feel safe and secure, and rightly so, because they have CCTV. However, when one moves down the road to Drogheda there is no such CCTV system in place. The Garda superintendent in Drogheda wants it also. When I tabled a Dáil question to our wonderful Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform asking what was happening in regard to CCTV in Drogheda, the response was to wait until the end of 2006 and, if one was lucky, it might be available in 2007. There are 17 such applications before the Minister, but none of the towns is as large as Drogheda, and all will have CCTV in place. However, the Minister is lightening the burden on the Garda Síochána by seeking a new method of tendering for this equipment.

Let us get the facts right. The biggest town in Ireland is Drogheda and it does not have CCTV in place. Under this Government it will not have it until 2007. That is not acceptable. I have written to the Minister asking him to meet with a deputation from our community to make a strong case to him in person. CCTV has to be at the heart of modern policing.

A change in policy is needed from the top on where and how we do our policing, particularly late at night. There is no point in having Garda stations manned successfully from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when at night, particularly at weekends, there is only a limited number of gardaí on duty. The reality is that public disorder occurs mainly on Friday and Saturday nights. That is when we need a greater number of gardaí and their presence on the streets. If one speaks to the Garda, some of its members express the fear that if there are inadequate numbers on duty they will be personally exposed to assault and attack which, sadly, has happened.

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