Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy did not ask about the issue of classification, but I will address some of the points he raised in respect of it.

I do, of course, appreciate the concerns that the Deputy has raised, and I am conscious of the perspectives of business and community interests with regard to the effects of certain types of crime and anti-social behaviour on the overall environment for all who live and work in and visit our capital city. It is an absolute priority that we get that environment right. It is widely acknowledged, and I think the Deputy would acknowledge, that these challenges have their origin in a range of social phenomena, including drug dependency and homelessness - challenges which are long-standing and go well beyond the capacity of criminal justice agencies to address on their own. Dealing with these matters requires a very co-ordinated approach from State agencies involved in social, housing, health and drug treatment services, as well as partnership with business, community and voluntary groups. An Garda Síochána already partners many of these groups in a range of local consultative and representative structures in Dublin and elsewhere. I will bring a recent initiative to the Deputy's attention. This is a new high-level group involving Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive and the HSE, the aim of which is to oversee strategic and coherent responses in the city centre area. This is absolutely essential. I will meet the group, as well as Dublin city businesses, with a view to identifying how the ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and the overall environment in the city centre can be further supported and strengthened.

Since June 2013 the Garda has had a city centre policing plan, which it is working to. There are high-visibility Garda patrols in key commercial and public thoroughfares. The question of where these patrols take place is an operational matter, and the Garda monitors this on an ongoing basis. Obviously, there are focused resources in specific areas, a few of which I will mention in the brief time remaining. Operation Pier concentrates on the south quays and Temple Bar.

There are two other operations, one of which is Operation Spire. According to provisional statistics for the Garda Síochána analysis service for the first nine months of the year, the total number of drug searches is up by 5% in the north central area around Store Street and by 24% in the south central Pearse Street division.

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