Tony Dempsey (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Mulcahy as ucht ama a roinnt liom. Tá áthas orm seans a fháil labhairt ar an mBille seo. Fadó, ní raibh baint ar bith le hobair na Gardaí leis an gnáth-dhuine. An lá atá inniu ann, áfach, toisc go bhfuil fás ar choireanna ar fud na tíre, tá dlúthbhaint le saol an ghnáth-dhuine ó lá go lá le hobair na nGardaí. When canvassing in the general election, the recent by-elections and the local elections, the subject of crime was continually raised by those whom I canvassed. I can understand this because we have evolved into a society where many people, particularly in isolated rural areas, feel afraid living in their own homes.

I congratulate the Minister on bringing forward a framework that will allow the Garda Síochána operate in the new circumstances. Criminals and their work can only be defeated when parents, teachers, gardaí and ordinary people co-operate in the ambition to defeat them. The old Irish saying, "Ní neart go chur le chéile", was never more true. In short, community policing is what the new world requires. The Garda Síochána will rely on the community and the community will interact with the Garda Síochána.

I saw a wonderful example of this in Cyprus last week in a little village called Piale where the gardaí working for the United Nations use community policing without recourse to sanctions. I witnessed at first hand and heard the muktar from the Turkish Cypriot community and the Greek Cypriot community pay an incredible tribute to the work of our gardaí as members of the United Nations. The people placed the gardaí ahead of any other country in the world in their efforts to involve themselves in community policing.

The role of neighbours will be extremely important in the future, irrespective of what legislative framework is introduced. People no longer know who their neighbours are, which is probably the result of urbanisation. I am interested in new directives on planning introduced by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government yesterday because we need to repopulate rural Ireland so we have more neighbours and more community involvement.

I am interested in the objectives of the Bill. The Bill has three main objectives, the most interesting of which states that a new legislative structure for the management of the Gardaí will be introduced. That legislative structure recognises for the first time the changed communities in which gardaí operate. Like Deputy Mulcahy and other speakers, I congratulate the Garda on their hard and continuous work in very changed and straitened circumstances. Another of the Bill's objectives is the establishment of an independent Garda Síochána inspectorate, which will provide independent advice to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Garda. This is a very important measure. The operational responsibility does not stop with the Bill.

I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, who is here, on opening a new Garda station in New Ross and on progressing a new Garda station for Wexford. The location of Garda stations will be extremely important in the future. I know that Deputy Parlon will probably empathise with that sentiment. We must build Garda stations in the centres of communities. I know it is uneconomical and not feasible to have two or three stations in a provincial town like Wexford. If it was feasible, I would recommend that we had two stations in Wexford town rather than one. However, I am a realist and there is only a certain amount of money available. I am glad that Wexford is getting a new station. The location of that station in Wexford and the location of other stations will be very important.

Putting gardaí back on the beat and releasing them from the bureaucratic office work they appeared to be engaged in, which could be done by someone with different training and not necessarily a law enforcement training background, is extremely important. The training of the gardaí is extremely important. Courses in the Garda College in Templemore must take account of the new need for the gardaí to be involved in the community, whether it is with the GAA, rugby clubs or soccer clubs. It could be any aspect of community life where the gardaí can be involved and get to know the people and the people get to know them. I would like to see the day when gardaí would help in training a local school team. I know this is happening in many areas. A former Garda in Wexford, Séamus Keevans, who is involved with organising school GAA leagues has played a very important role in the community.

Deputy Mulcahy spoke about the need for effective policing and I agree with him. The Bill will enhance the level of democratic accountability and that is very important. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes is an old Latin saying. Who will guard the guards? The vast majority of gardaí excel at their duties and have nothing to fear from democratic responsibility. This should not be seen as challenge, rather it should be regarded as a form of assistance to gardaí. Justice must be seen to be done. It is important that justice is seen to be done at the Morris tribunal. It is also very important that people have recourse to the full protection of the law even when they do not have the money to afford it.

I congratulate the Minister on the level of consultation because community policing is about consultation and I know he consulted with approximately 15 bodies and personnel. Tá áthas orm tacaíocht a thabhairt don Bhille.

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