Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The principle of community policing is of course a good one. However, where gardaí are present in stations for only a few hours each week, there are no visible foot patrols and very few community group meetings with gardaí, then the actions on the ground do not match the principle. An analysis of the force's station directory shows that almost 60% of stations are open for less than three hours per day, Monday to Friday. The number of Garda stations open across the State has decreased by over 20% since 2011 when approximately 703 stations were in operation. The station directory also clearly shows that just over 20% of all stations are currently open on a 24-hour basis. In my county, Meath, there are 300 gardaí for a population in excess of 200,000 people. This represents one garda per 600 people. Most other counties with similar populations have almost double this policing ratio. Even during Covid-19, available gardaí are doing an excellent job, but they are clearly under-resourced in terms of overall numbers and are operating in a very pressurised scenario due to a poor policing ratio.

Community policing is also heavily affected by resources and personnel being routinely redeployed to other activities. In terms of dealing with illicit drug use and trafficking, community policy can come into its own. While canvassing in the recent general election, it was very clear that the issue of illicit drug use and trafficking was uppermost in people's minds, with the obvious knock on effects of an increase in antisocial behaviour and crime rates. This was a key issue in every town and village, with constant reference to the lack of a Garda presence in local stations or on the beat. This view was shared by young and old alike, and there was considerable support across all age groups for the idea that urgent action needed to be taken.

While we need to increase the provision of community-based facilities for younger people and properly funded addiction and rehabilitation services, the absence of a strong community policing presence sends out the wrong signal entirely.

It indicates that the State is not serious about tackling the drugs and associated crime problems, and that the concept of community policing is spin and has no substance.

If we do not put the necessary resources into dealing with these problems, particularly in our smaller towns and villages, we will be allowing the same drug-fuelled gangland-style mentality and crime rate to develop in these towns as exists at present in some of our larger towns and cities. We have an opportunity to prevent this, but only with improved community facilities backed up by strong community policing.

Will the Minister commit to properly resourcing the Garda, particularly in rural areas, to provide a workable community policing initiative? Will he further commit to ensuring resources and personnel assigned to community policing activities are ring-fenced to that activity and not regularly redeployed to other activities?

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