Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern. I thank Deputies Perry and Scanlon for raising this important issue.

The Minister would like to state, from the outset, that the Courts Service, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, is responsible for the operational management and maintenance of courthouse facilities and, as Minister, he has no function in respect of courthouse accommodation. Court venues around the country are being reviewed by the Courts Service as part of an overall review of the management and structures of the service and its use of resources. The review applies criteria including facilities for court users, demographic changes, levels of business, proximity to other venues and the standard of court accommodation in the venue under consideration as well as the proposed alternate venue. The review is being carried out in the context of the current economic climate and the budgetary and staffing constraints under which the Courts Service is operating. The overall objective of the review is to ensure that resources are deployed to best effect, optimum services are provided to court users, courts sit in venues with appropriate facilities and value for money is achieved.

The Minister is informed by the Courts Service that no decision has yet been taken on Ballymote courthouse. With regard to the impact on Garda resources it should be noted that at present when the court sits in a given venue all of the gardaí who have business before the court must be at the court. When venues are amalgamated, the court business can be spread over several different days in the new venue so any negative impact on the number of gardaí available for duty could actually be decreased. Generally the business can be assimilated into the list in the new venue so the pressure on all gardaí to be available for the same day can be reduced. The Minister has been informed by the Garda Commissioner that as of 31 January 2010, the personnel strength of the Ballymote Garda district was 46. The personnel strength of that district at the end of January 2008 was 35, that is, an increase of over 30% in the last two years.

Ballymote forms part of the Sligo-Leitrim division and, as at 31 January 2010, the strength of that division was 317. In addition, divisional resources are augmented where necessary by a number of Garda national units such as the Garda Traffic Unit, Garda National Drugs Unit, the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the Criminal Assets Bureau and other specialised units.

It is the responsibility of the Garda divisional officer to allocate personnel within his or her division. Notwithstanding this, the level of Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the general public.

It is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner to allocate personnel throughout the force taking everything into account and the situation in the Ballymote Garda district will be kept under review. The Minister is advised by the Garda authorities that local Garda management is satisfied that a full and comprehensive policing service is being delivered to the communities within the Ballymote Garda district.

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