James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Richmond for raising this important issue. I know he has been consistent in raising his concerns about this matter. He is 100% right. We need to have clear engagement with communities around ensuring Garda presence and Garda involvement in communities. As the Deputy correctly pointed out, the community safety fund is important. Under the fund, the money taken from those who benefit from crime will be put back into the communities that are most deeply affected by those criminal elements. The new community policing strategy will also have an important role in bringing communities together to design safety plans and plans for Garda deployment that are tailored towards those communities. The Deputy will appreciate that those in local and senior Garda management are consulted during the allocation of personnel and are responsible for specific deployment or assignment of duties being undertaken at a divisional level.

An Garda Síochána continues to implement high-visibility policing plans to address public disorder-related issues and antisocial behaviour with particular overt and targeted policing of public places at times where public order incidents and antisocial behaviour typically increase. An Garda Síochána also rolls out information relating to policing operations on an ongoing basis in response to specific incidents of antisocial behaviour.

The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing community safety and supporting the valuable work of An Garda Síochána to this end. The publication of the landmark policing community safety legislation by the Minister for Justice earlier this year is significant in that the need for a cross-agency approach to community safety in partnership with local communities will be recognised in statute for the first time..

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