Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join other Members in expressing sympathy to the family of the late Garda Adrian Donohoe, as well as his colleagues in the Garda Síochána. I know that the members of the force are determined to bring those responsible for this heinous crime to justice. This was a very serious crime, as an attack on a Member of the Garda is very much an attack on the country. Many details of this case remain sketchy but the fact that Garda Donohoe was shot in such brutal circumstances makes clear that criminal gangs in this country now have no respect for life or the price for taking one. This Government recognises the central role that the Garda plays in ensuring the security of the State and the need for a properly resourced police force. As a representative of East Galway, I am only too aware that a number of Garda stations in the region are to close. However, while I understand the fears of local communities, the interaction with local people rather than the location in which that interaction takes place is crucial and, to that end, the size and mobility of the force must be maintained at all costs.

Galway has seen its fair share of burglaries over the past number of months and this has resulted in unease at the decision to close some of these Garda stations. In recent days, I have been contacted by members of the community alert group in Kilconly, County Galway, who made a very valid suggestion. Kilconly Garda station is among the stations in east Galway that is due to close and the members suggested that the married quarters attached to the station be advertised among gardaí. The garda who resided there would work in Tuam and would give an undertaking to reside there for three to five years or until moving jobs. A nominal rent could be paid to the OPW. The benefit for the community is that it would have a garda residing locally. Such arrangements could be worked out throughout the country to the benefit of both the garda involved and the local community. Most rural communities want to retain the link with members of the force, even if they work in a divisional station outside the immediate area. It would also have the benefit in that a significant number of gardaí would still be living in rural areas and interacting with local clubs and schools. One concern about closing rural stations is that, increasingly, gardaí and their families will live in the larger towns where divisional stations are located and large swathes of the countryside will not be home to gardaí. The suggestion of Kilconly community alert group deserves serious consideration in the coming weeks.

The Garda must be properly resourced in terms of equipment, technology and, particularly in a rural context, mobility and transport. Having spoken on this topic to numerous concerned rural residents, I believe that greater investment is needed in the Garda transport fleet if the force is to be able to respond properly to current crime levels in rural areas. I welcome what the Minister, Deputy Shatter, had to say about the €4 million provided last year and €5 million this year to bring the fleet up to date. A number of gardaí have pointed out to me that while they understand the concerns about the closure of Garda stations, their biggest concern is the availability of squad cars.

Community alert schemes are particularly important in a rural context. While they can never replace local gardaí, they offer an important complement to the work of gardaí in rural areas. However, many areas, including many local areas in County Galway, remain without a community alert scheme, or else the local scheme has been allowed to lapse. Some new schemes have been initiated in recent times but usually only in response to a particular spate of burglaries. The Garda should work with local community activists to set up community alert schemes in a proper way. The goodwill and local knowledge of groups such as the GAA and IFA can be put to good effect in bringing people together to raise awareness and ensure that they are cognisant of the need to maintain good security measures in their homes and vigilance for suspicious activity in their locality. The funds spent to date on community alert have been fruitful and these schemes could, with further investment, become an important asset for the Garda in fighting rural crime. I urge the Ministers for Justice and Equality and the Environment, Community and Local Government to draw up a plan and funding model for community alert projects.

In terms of Garda recruitment, I understand that many members of the Garda Reserve would love the opportunity to join the force. These people, who have shown such dedication to policing, should be given an opportunity to join the force when the next recruitment campaign gets under way. I welcome the announcement by the Minister that a discussion might take place on this issue.

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