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

The deployment of gardaí in particular areas is an operational issue for the Garda Commissioner, but I bring to her attention concerns that are highlighted to me about particular areas. I understand the Deputy's point on rural communities. The change in policing in terms of more focus on mobile units is in no way intended to detract from community policing, which is essential in urban and rural and gardaí are committed to that. Given the changing nature of criminal activity, the gardaí have to be very agile in responding to the type of crime we are now seeing.

I have met many representatives from communities in rural areas in the past year and have been very impressed by what they are doing. There is great community involvement in working with the Garda in the text alert system, which has been very effective in many rural communities. I reassure the Deputy that there is as much a focus as ever on community policing in the rural context, but the way in which it has been done has changed. As I said, gardaí have been given the resources to respond in a more agile way to the crimes that have been committed by mobile gangs.

See this speech in context