Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government and I are committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs. As I have said many times today, the unprecedented allocation provided, in budget 2022, of in excess of €2 billion reflects that. This includes funding for the recruitment of up to an additional 800 Garda members and up to 400 Garda staff. It should be noted that many of the Garda members to be recruited will be drawn from the Garda recruitment competition which opened last week. More than 800 Garda members have also been redeployed in recent years from administrative duties - working in offices but doing important work - to front-line policing duties where their expertise can be utilised fully. The civilian Garda staff are taking over those roles.

As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda divisions. I am assured by the Commissioner and his team that they keep the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use. I understand that it is a matter for the divisional chief superintendent to determine the optimum distribution of duties among the personnel available to them, having regard to the profile of each area, the division and its specific needs.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that on 31 January 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 12 community gardaí were assigned to the Mayo division. The Deputy may wish to further note that the total number of gardaí assigned to the Mayo division as of 31 January 2022 is 331, which represents an increase of over 9% on the numbers allocated to the division in 2015. The Deputy will also be glad to note that Garda staff levels have also increased significantly in the Mayo division over the same period, with an increase of 70% from 33 in December 2015 to 56 as of December 2021.

To date, the official categorisation as a community garda has simply referred to those who are exclusively assigned to building relationships with local communities and civil society, including giving talks to schools, community groups and others. However, it is important to note that community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána and that all gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties.

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