Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Community policing has been, continues to be and will be fostered, developed and resourced within the Garda Síochána. Community policing is one of the core means by which the Garda Síochána deliver its policing service. Because the Garda Síochána depends on the community it serves, there is a strong organisational commitment to engaging with the community.

I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the deployment of resources including personnel, that the total number of personnel allocated to community policing duties on a full-time basis as of 21 June 2005, the latest date for which figures are available, was 459. Combating anti-social behaviour, whether through community policing or through the wider use of Garda resources, is an important objective of the Garda Síochána.

As the Garda Síochána policing plan for 2005 acknowledges, it is a specific Government policing priority for the Garda Síochána to continue to focus on crime prevention and reduction including, in co-operation with local authorities and interaction with local communities, the prevention of public order offences, with particular emphasis on those resulting from alcohol and substance misuse. In the achievement of these and other priorities, it is the responsibility of each divisional officer to assign personnel within his or her division to specific duties to ensure that the optimum use is made of all available resources and that the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.

As the Deputy will be aware, those resources will be at an all-time high but I will not repeat this in case I excite another bout of shouting. Resources for the Garda Síochána have improved dramatically.

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