Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:

notes:— the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to close engagement between An Garda Síochána and local communities;

— the Government’s plan to implement the recommendations in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which has a core focus on a Garda organisation working closely and collaboratively with communities and other agencies to keep communities safe and to prevent harm to vulnerable people;

— the significant financial supports provided to An Garda Síochána by this Government, amounting to €1.76 billion in 2019, to ensure resources are available to tackle all forms of criminality, including rural crime;

— the recruitment of over 2,400 additional Gardaí since September 2014 and the commitment to recruit 600 Gardaí in 2019 and to redeploy 500 Garda officers to frontline policing duties nationwide;

— the latest Central Statistics Office crime statistics for quarter three of 2018, which indicate a regrettable rise in robberies but a decrease in burglaries, theft-related offences and damage to property incidents which were down 6.4 per cent, 3.2 per cent and 7.4 per cent respectively over a 12 month period to the end of quarter three of 2018;

— that since Operation Thor was launched by An Garda Síochána in November 2015 burglary figures in Ireland have decreased substantially;

— the successful operations carried out by An Garda Síochána nationwide and the recovery of machinery, farm equipment and other stolen property; and

— that the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment in relation to a Garda station pilot reopening project continues to progress, and the fact that identification of appropriate stations is a matter for the Garda Commissioner;recognises:— that there is a particular fear and concern about burglaries in rural locations;

— that community policing plays a key part in responding to crime by taking into account and responding to local conditions and needs;

— that a range of partnership initiatives have been established between An Garda Síochána and important rural-based organisations such as the Irish Farmers Association, Muintir na Tíre and other rural community organisations;

— the impact of special Garda operations to target organised crime, in particular Operation Thor which has resulted in more than 168,630 targeted checkpoints nationwide and in the region of 8,840 arrests connected to offences including burglary, handling stolen property, possession of firearms, and drug offences;

— the enactment of the Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Act 2015 which targets repeat burglars who have previous convictions and who are charged with multiple offences of residential burglary;

— that the Criminal Justice Act 2017 has significantly strengthened Ireland’s bail laws;

and

— the constitutional right to criminal legal aid on foot of a means test where serious legal charges are brought;

supports:

— the Government’s commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime;

— the Government’s plans to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians;

— the unprecedented resources provided by the Government to An Garda Síochána with an allocation of €1.76 billion for 2019, an increase of over 6 per cent over the initial allocation for 2018;

— the significant capital investment being made in An Garda Síochána, including investment of €342 million in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021;

— that €60 million of Exchequer funding underpins the Garda Building and Refurbishment Programme 2016-2021, which is a five year programme based on agreed Garda priorities benefiting over 30 locations around the country;

— the development of three major new Divisional and Regional Headquarters at Galway, Wexford and Kevin Street, Dublin, each of which has entered into operational use in 2017 and 2018;

— that the Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides for an investment of €46 million in the Garda fleet, this is in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013-2015, to ensure that the Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime;

— the 3,700 Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch schemes nationwide;

— the Text Alert scheme operated by An Garda Síochána as an effective means for Gardaí to communicate crime prevention information to local communities, noting that the scheme is now offered in every Garda division, with 164,000 subscribers and counting and in the order of three million text messages sent annually;

— the Minister for Justice and Equality making up to €150,000 available in 2018 to local communities who wish to apply for a rebate towards the costs associated with running their local Text Alert scheme;

— the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which will help maintain and enhance more visible policing and greater community engagement, address current challenges and enable An Garda Síochána to meet future challenges; and

— the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to support investment in closed circuit television (CCTV) systems to assist in the establishment of community based CCTV systems in local areas; and reaffirms its ongoing support for An Garda Síochána and the work Gardaí do every day on behalf of the Irish people and the unique role of the Gardaí as guardians of the peace.

I am pleased to discuss this motion on rural crime and I thank the Deputies from the Rural Independent Group for providing an opportunity for the House to address these issues so early in the new Dáil term. As a Minister who represents a large constituency, which is primarily rural in nature, I am most familiar with the concerns of people living in rural Ireland. I know the impact that crime and the fear of crime can have on people. However, I stress that crime is not a rural phenomenon and crime rates are much lower in rural areas. The Government has decided to table an amendment for a number of reasons which I will outline in the course of my address.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to highlight the scope of An Garda Síochána's response to rural crime, which has been underpinned by the provision of significant and unprecedented resources in recent years. However, I sincerely believe that all Deputies in this House are working towards a similar goal of achieving safer communities for all our citizens and I look forward to a constructive debate listening to the contributions of Members opposite.

As the House is aware, the Government is committed to ensuring a strong, visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement and to provide reassurance to citizens to deter crime. The evidence of this commitment is not hard to find. Since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014 almost 2,400 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and they have been assigned to mainstream duties across the country. This accelerated recruitment of gardaí saw Garda numbers reach almost 14,000 by the end of last year, with Garda numbers expected to be in the region of 21,000 by 2021. Furthermore, a total budget of €1.76 billion has been provided to An Garda Síochána this year, an increase of over €100 million on last year's allocation. That investment will provide new and leading-edge technology to support front-line gardaí in carrying out their work in both urban and rural communities.

The programme for Government underlines the need for close engagement between An Garda Síochána and local communities. As Minister for Justice and Equality I place significant focus on policing. The Government recently approved my proposals on the implementation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. The recommendations were made by a panel of experts after a number of consultations took place around the country, and beyond our shores. The core focus is on a more visible Garda organisation working closely and collaboratively with communities and other agencies to keep communities safe and to prevent harm to vulnerable people. The high level implementation plan was published before Christmas. Among the recommendations to be taken forward this year is the revised local policing model which will provide more visible policing and the continued roll out of divisional protective services units which protect the most vulnerable in society.

As to the deployment Garda resources, including personnel, to specific areas, Members will appreciate that this is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. Late last year, the Commissioner announced that he will be seeking to recruit 600 additional gardaí next year and he will redeploy 500 experienced officers to front-line duties. The injection of that large number of experienced officers into the field, along with the new recruits, will be most beneficial in terms of community safely. As recognised in the motion, An Garda Síochána has responded to the type of threats that communities face through a robust and determined drive against criminals who seek to prey on vulnerable householders with the implementation of special operations such as Operation Thor.

On 20 December the CSO published the latest crime figures for quarter 3 of last year. Regrettably, a rise in robberies was recorded, while there was a welcome decrease in burglary and theft-related offences which were down by 6.4% and 3.2%, respectively. I am concerned about the rise in robbery. That is an issue that is receiving the attention of An Garda Síochána.

I wish to refer to the ongoing commentary regarding the prevailing fear of crime in certain communities. It is interesting to note that the latest public attitudes survey published by An Garda Síochána for quarter 3 of 2018 indicates that 71% of people perceive national crime to be either a very serious or a serious problem. However, only 18% of respondents considered crime in their local area to be a very serious or serious problem. I do not wish to understate the concerns of individuals or communities with respect to the prevalence of crime. Many possible factors generate a fear of crime which ought to be addressed but it is clear that there can be a disparity between the perception and the actual occurrence of crime. In that context, I appeal to the Deputies opposite, in particular Deputy Mattie McGrath, and to commentators to be measured and factual in their comments on crime.

As part of a concerted strategy to combat burglary, the Government made it a priority to secure the enactment of specific legislation targeting prolific burglars in the Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Act 2015. These provisions are available to the Garda to support prosecutions arising from Operation Thor. I know many Deputies have concerns regarding trespass in the criminal law. I assure Members that all the legislative provisions on trespass remain under constant review. I am advised that the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 and the Prohibition of Forcible Entry and Occupation Act 1971 are robust. I am happy to engage further with Deputies on these matters.

Another area of concern that has been mentioned is the operation of the bail laws. The law was recently significantly strengthened by the Government. The Criminal Justice Act 2017 expanded the factors a court may take into account when refusing bail. These factors include previous convictions for serious offences that indicate persistent serious offending and the likelihood of any danger to a person or the community that the release of the accused on bail might cause. The Act places greater emphasis on the rights and the safety of victims, and of the public, in bail decisions, while continuing to safeguard the rights of the accused. The Act provides increased guidance for the courts and greater transparency in the bail process, including requiring judges to give reasons for granting or refusing bail. While we must all remain vigilant in the fight against all forms of criminality and lawlessness in our communities, I assure Deputies that the Garda Commissioner and I remain in ongoing contact regarding countering new and emerging crime trends. The ongoing recruitment and redeployment of gardaí, our energetic and community-focused Garda Commissioner, the recent legislative improvements and the significant unprecedented budget of the order of €1.7 billion allocated to An Garda Síochána should give confidence to Members of the House-----

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