Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A number of questions were asked. Deputy Howlin raised the membership of the Cabinet committee on justice reform, comprised of myself, as chair, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Attorney General. As others are needed they will attend. The terms of reference are to provide political oversight of the delivery of commitments in the programme for a partnership Government, to reform the policing, justice and legal systems and related issues.

Deputy Howlin mentioned the Inspectorate report. In November 2014, the Garda Inspectorate published a comprehensive report on crime investigation, and significant work is continuing to implement the recommendations. That includes a review of crime counting rules by the CSO, the establishment of a data quality team in An Garda Síochána, significant reorganisation and amalgamation of Garda national units, and the establishment of a criminal justice steering group to provide greater co-ordination between all bodies operating within the criminal justice system. The Garda has established a new incident recording process and a working group has examined the need for increased investment in Garda ICT as part of the upcoming capital programme. The Garda has established a victim support office in every local Garda division and, in addition, the previous Government put in place measures to ensure and enhance ongoing public confidence in policing in Ireland while continuing to support the men and women of An Garda Síochána in their day-to-day duties of keeping communities in the country safe. On the Garda Inspectorate report on management and structures, the Tánaiste put in place a process to seek the views of the Garda Commissioner, to whom the bulk of recommendations are directed, and other bodies to whom recommendations are directed.

The Deputy also mentioned modern technology. As he is aware, €330 million, including €205 million under the capital programme, is being invested in the Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021. This major investment will allow the gardaí to deploy the latest cutting-edge technologies in the fight against crime and will facilitate progress on an important set of reforms arising from the Garda Inspectorate's report on crime investigation. A considerable amount of the new Garda ICT solutions have been delivered over the past five years. These include the deployment of a secure national digital radio system, the deployment and support of Garda and community CCTV systems, an automated number plate registration, ANPR, system, and the addition of many new functions to the PULSE system, which is further supported by a dedicated Garda data entry service in Davitt House in Castlebar.

The substantial additional investment under the capital programme out to 2021 will facilitate progress on a range of other important reforms that arise from the Inspectorate report on crime investigation. Examples of some of the new systems to be developed include new computer-aided despatch to ensure responsive and co-ordinated deployment of gardaí in the community, mobile technology to give gardaí secure mobile access to critical information when and where they need it, investigation management systems to ensure enhanced management of crime investigations, and an upgrade of the ANPR to enhance policing of road safety and compliance.

Obviously, there is an interest in supplying increased numbers of CCTV systems as well.

In respect of Deputy Adams' question on gangland crime, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality has been in close and extensive engagement with the Garda Commissioner and senior officers on the measures to tackle the appalling crime situation in certain areas where gangs operate and significant progress has been made in the investigations which are under way. Both the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and I have assured the Garda that whatever resources are necessary will be made available to it. On the basis of that assurance, the Garda, day in and day out, is incurring substantial additional expenditure, including overtime expenditure.

On 8 June, the Government approved substantial additional funding to be provided to the Garda. An additional allocation of €55 million is being made available this year for the purpose of tackling organised crime. These additional moneys are made available based on information from Garda management regarding the level of funding required to maintain the necessary policing response to the current situation. This will allow for concentrated policing targeting gang-related crime and the continued intensive and strategic targeting of burglaries and related crime through the support for Operation Thor, which has been successful, and continued support for measures against terrorism.

Underpinning all of that has been the reopening of Templemore and the decision to increase the Garda strength to 15,000 by way of recruitment. While in the short term substantial funds continue to be made available for overtime working measures to accelerate the planned programme of recruitment, they are being worked on now so that additional new gardaí can be provided as quickly as possible.

I note that the Criminal Assets Bureau is one of the few areas of public expenditure that was largely ring-fenced from reductions in public service staffing during the economic crisis. Its staffing complement now of approximately 70 is similar to what it was in the late 2000s.

In respect of Garda measures to deal with gangland crime, the new special crime task force has been put in place. This will operate in co-operation with other agencies, such as the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection. The task force will use-----

See this speech in context