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

Deputy Casey makes the case for County Wicklow and of course other Deputies here would make the case for their areas. I recognise that more gardaí are needed right across State. This is why we have the recruitment programme. It is not going to happen overnight. The Garda Commissioner makes the decision and it is a completely independent operational decision. The Department of Justice and Equality has absolutely no role in the decision, nor do individual Deputies. The Garda Commissioner must examine precisely what the requirements are in different areas and, on the basis of priority needs around State, she must make that allocation. I have no doubt that almost every area would like to have, and perhaps could do with, more gardaí. It is, however, the Garda Commissioner’s decision to make based on what is known to her and upon assessment of the different areas.

I can confirm to Deputy Casey that a review is envisaged under the programme for Government and the Garda Síochána Inspectorate – at the request of the Policing Authority – is carrying out a review of the dispersal and use of resources available to An Garda Síochána. A very important part of that review is that all data will be available and that there is an IT system to map out exactly where gardaí are working at any particular time, the resources available and how those resources are being used, and a more efficient and modern means of communication between gardaí so that they can get the data back very quickly as is done in other jurisdictions.

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