Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the important matter of policing in County Longford. The Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance for citizens and deter crime. To achieve these objectives, it has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Garda Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. We are making real and tangible progress in achieving this goal.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure the optimum use is made of these resources.

I am informed by the Commissioner that, with regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors, including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Garda division. Where a deficiency in resources is identified, the matter is considered fully and addressed accordingly. In addition, as the Deputy will appreciate, to deliver an effective policing service, it is essential that Garda management have the flexibility to deploy Garda resources to meet operational policing needs and address critical issues as they arise. For this reason, the number of gardaí available in any one Garda station on a particular day is subject to the operational requirements of the overall division.

Edgeworthstown Garda station, to which the Deputy referred, forms part of the Granard district in the Roscommon-Longford division. I am informed that the number of gardaí assigned to the division on 31 October 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 309, of whom 47 members were assigned to Granard district and 11 to Edgeworthstown Garda station. I note the Deputy's point that 4.5 Garda members, namely, one sergeant and three gardaí, are available at the station. This figure is somewhat at variance with the figure given to me of 11 gardaí being assigned to the station. There are also nine Garda Reserve members and 29 Garda civilian staff attached to the Roscommon-Longford division.

I listened carefully to the Deputy's comments on crime in the locality. When appropriate, the work of local gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, armed support units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. I am also informed that the divisional traffic corps and the drugs unit carry out patrols in the area.

I am conscious that the Deputy cited the Longford-Westmeath constituency which is similar in profile to the adjacent constituency of Laois-Offaly. I acknowledge the challenge facing the region, with particular reference to the motorway, ease of travel and mobility. In so far as the number of gardaí on active duty is concerned, the Commissioner has advised that for operational and security reasons, An Garda Síochána does not comment on the number of personnel on sick leave in a particular station.

The district headquarters at Granard is open 24/7 and members stationed at the headquarters are available to attend to calls for assistance by members of the public when Edgeworthstown Garda station is closed to members of the public or in circumstances where members may require back-up or assistance.

I am further informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, close to 1,400 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. Of these, ten have been assigned to the Roscommon-Longford division. I look forward to attending the attestation of another 200 trainee gardaí this Friday, which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increase to approximately 13,500 by year end, a net increase of 500 since the end of 2016.

I assure the Deputy of my ongoing attention to this issue.

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