Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I did not issue the invitations, an invitation should, of course, have issued to the senior Deputy for the area. I am sorry that took place and I will certainly check it out because the Deputy should have been present. I know the Deputy would have made representations on the matter, which is important to his constituency and the people he represents.

Deputy Ó Cuív will appreciate that the allocation of all Garda resources, including personnel, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team and I have no direct role in this regard. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, in 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, including the Galway division, with a view to providing an effective and responsive police service.

The Deputy will be aware that Clifden Garda station is the district headquarters for the Clifden Garda district, which forms part of the Galway division. I am informed by the Commissioner that a superintendent district officer was assigned to the district in August and that superintendent is based in Clifden Garda station. This was to fill the vacancy created by the transfer of the previous district officer to take up the position of detective superintendent with responsibility for the western region, which is located in the Galway headquarters.

The Garda strength of the Clifden district on 31 October, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 34. There are 29 Garda reserves and 67 Garda civilian staff attached to the Galway division. In addition, when appropriate, the work of local gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units, such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the armed support units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

As the Deputy will be aware, community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána. It provides a means of recognising that every community has its own concerns and expectations, and it has been one of the key strengths of the organisation throughout its history. In that regard, a key focus of the ongoing reform in An Garda Síochána is the modernisation of the way in which policing services are delivered so as to provide a better service to communities. A new divisional policing model is currently being piloted in four divisions across the country, including Galway. This new model was recommended by the Garda Síochána Inspectorate in 2015 to support the more flexible and effective deployment of resources. The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recommended a move towards a new local model for policing.

With regard to Gaeltacht policing, I am advised by the Commissioner that An Garda Síochána is fully committed to fulfilling its obligations under the Official Languages Act and the 20 year strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, one of the objectives of which is that the use of the Irish language by An Garda Síochána will be continued and developed. Eligible applicants for An Garda Síochána who are fluent Irish speakers may opt to be considered for inclusion in a specialist Irish language stream within the overall recruitment competition run by the Public Appointments Service. Candidates appointed from the Irish language stream are expected to provide a full range of services in Irish. Successful candidates are allocated to Gaeltacht areas for a period of time, as determined by the Garda Commissioner.

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