Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Once again I acknowledge the importance of this report. It makes a very valuable contribution to policing and the fight against crime. I acknowledge the presentation of the report here this afternoon. I also wish to inform Deputies that I have taken careful note of many of the points raised, all of which I regard as making a valuable contribution not only towards the recommendations in the report but also in terms of informing me of the order of importance in which Members wish to rank issues.

I will not repeat any of the references I made earlier to the recommendations. However, I will add to what I said earlier about the importance of recommendation 6 on Garda youth diversion, which was raised by Deputy Martin Kenny and others. I acknowledge the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, in particular in that regard. I agree with what Deputy Martin Kenny said about early intervention and prevention, which is a priority theme in the new youth justice strategy currently being developed. The key issue is how best to ensure that there is an integrated approach. I acknowledge the setting up of the interdepartmental and inter-agency steering group involving Garda youth diversion projects and schools with the aim of ensuring a more sustained but also a more holistic approach. It should be noted that I expect that the new youth justice strategy will be finalised next year.

Reference was made to recommendation 12 and the concept of restorative justice, which is again something to which this House has devoted considerable time in recent years. There is a strong recommendation in the report identifying the need to continue with a sense of collaboration with other criminal justice agencies, in particular An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, victims’ groups, advocacy groups and the Probation Service.

Deputy O’Callaghan and rural Deputies in particular made reference to rural Garda stations, which was addressed in recommendation 13. They acknowledged the importance of the role of the Garda Commissioner in that regard in terms of the effective and efficient use of Garda resources. The House will be aware that 139 Garda stations were closed under the Garda station rationalisation programme. However, I take issue with Deputies who repeatedly said that the sole reason for the closure of the stations was due to a shortage of funding. That is not necessarily the case, although the Chair of the committee is indicating that it perhaps was the case. The reason was to provide for a greater concentration on what might be described as smart policing. I met the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, PSNI, today. Deputies Ó Caoláin and Martin Kenny will be more familiar than most with the situation north of the Border in terms of the dispersal of police officers and rural police stations across Northern Ireland. Again, the focus is on a different type of policing service to communities meaning much more than just bricks and mortar in terms of the existence of a police station. We have, however, seen in this jurisdiction closures of Garda stations resulting in front-line gardaí being managed and deployed with a greater level of mobility and flexibility and in a more focused fashion. That said, I assure Deputies that the OPW and An Garda Síochána and officials in my Department continue to work to ensure positive attention is given to the priorities of the Garda Commissioner and his management team in that regard.

I spoke earlier about the investment of significant resources in increasing the number of gardaí, which was repeated by everybody. I dare say that every member of the committee fully agreed with the need to ensure adequate numbers of police officers. In addition to the implementation plan in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, specific action in respect of An Garda Síochána to ensure that not only do we have increased numbers but also that those numbers we do have actively engaged across the country are properly resourced by way of equipment, fleet and vehicles. Before the end of this year, we will see the deployment of 2,000 mobile devices for front-line policing. We will also see at the same time this year the acquisition and use of up to 300 new Garda vehicles.

Recommendation 14, increasing the use of social media, reflects a more modern approach to policing in the 21st century. I also welcome recommendations 18 and 19 on crime prevention, issues such as marking a property in rural areas and the text alert schemes. I agree with Deputies about the apparent cumbersome nature of the current CCTV scheme. I am working with officials to ensure that we can perhaps, as Deputy O’Callaghan said, make the scheme more user friendly and attractive to community groups to make applications.

Deputy Ferris has left but he mentioned a specific issue in respect of illegal moneylending which is not, I think, referred to in the report but which has been brought to my attention in my constituency. I will commit to making further contact with the Deputy on the basis of a note that I have taken. I agree that this is an issue that requires attention. I am happy to engage further, perhaps directly with the Deputy or others if they have experienced the same reports as have been put before the House. I express my appreciation, and that of the Government, to the members of the committee and the organisations that made contributions. I assure the House that I will continue to work on delivering a modern police service, working closely with communities. I acknowledge a study undertaken by The Irish Timesthat shows a high degree of trust and confidence on the part of the people in An Garda Síochána as a police service, acknowledging a difference between the police service here and those in other jurisdictions because, since its foundation almost 100 years ago, it has been firmly rooted in the community and that is what makes it unique among police services. It is important that we continue to make proper and adequate resources available to An Garda Síochána so that it can remain firmly rooted in communities and, at the same time, be equipped with the modern technological advances needed to meet, head on, the changing challenges in respect of criminal activity while ensuring that we have a police service that works with communities and other agencies to keep communities safe, prevent harm and protect the most vulnerable members of society. I thank the committee and I will have further opportunity of engaging with the Chairman about specific action on many of the recommendations.

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