Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Cheann Comhairle as deis a thabhairt domh an cheist thábachtach seo a thógáil ar an Athló sa Dáil tráthnóna inniu. Is cinnte go bhfuil imní agus míshásamh ar fud cheantar Ghaoth Dobhair faoin méid iompair mhíshóisialta atá sa cheantar le cúpla mí anuas. Chuir pobal Ghaoth Dobhair é sin in iúl go neamhbhalbh tá coicís nó trí seachtaine ó shin ag ábhalchruinniú a bhí sa seanséipéal ansin. Chuir siad a n-imní in iúl, agus ba mhaith leo go nglacfaí céimeanna chun deireadh a chur leis an iompar seo. Caithfear é a dhéanamh gan mhoill.

Bunbeg Garda station is the busiest in the Glenties Garda district, which serves a densely populated rural area. Moreover, the population doubles during the summer months with the influx of visitors. Bunbeg station has five gardaí and one sergeant and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This has led to local people going to the homes of gardaí in emergencies. The station must be open longer hours. Given the escalation of criminal behaviour, it is essential that the station be open 24 hours per day.

The station is not equipped with the PULSE system. Gardaí from Bunbeg must travel to Dunloe or Glenties to update records, wasting valuable time that could be spent on the beat. It is not surprising we have seen an increase in crime when, as revealed to me in response to a recent parliamentary question, fewer gardaí are serving in Donegal now than in 1997 when the Government's predecessor took over. Incidences of serious anti-social behaviour have escalated. Schools have been vandalised and one, Meenacladdy school, has been set on fire and damaged. The pupils have had to move to other premises while it is being repaired. Public and private property has been vandalised and cars have been stolen and crashed. Much disorderly behaviour has occurred on the weekends, a new development that is causing concern to the law-abiding local community.

More than 300 people attended a public meeting three weeks ago to voice their anxiety at the spread of loutish behaviour. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform must ensure a greater Garda presence in the area before the current difficulties escalate. I make no criticism of the serving gardaí, who are available as often as possible. They are badly resourced and need assistance. The station should be open 24 hours per day and the PULSE system should be installed to avoid gardaí travelling hour-long round journeys to input information in other stations in the county. More patrols by unmarked Garda cars are needed to stem the tide of anti-social behaviour. I call on the Government to adopt Fine Gael's proposals to establish a local community Garda forum that would enhance co-operation between gardaí and local people, ensuring that a one size fits all approach is not foisted on the community in Gweedore.

Tá an cheist seo go dona i láthair na huaire, agus sin an fáth ar thóg mé sa Dáil í tráthnóna inniu. Caithfear rud éigin a dhéanamh chun deireadh a chur leis an iompar míshóisialta i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá sé ag cur isteach ar phobal na háite, agus beidh sé ag cur isteach ar chuairteoirí fosta. Is beag duine atá ciontach, since it is confined to half a dozen people or fewer. However, it must be tackled and nipped in the bud. Unless we get the extra resources to support the Garda and longer opening hours, the problem will escalate. I appeal for immediate action before the influx of visitors during the summer holidays.

Perhaps I might make so bold as to say that I know that the Ceann Comhairle is very familiar with that area and its peace-loving people. We would not like to see the current anti-social behaviour taking hold up there.

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Thar ceann an Aire Dlí agus Cirt, Comhionannais agus Athchóirithe Dlí, táim buíoch den Teachta as ucht seans a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a phlé. Cuirfidh mé an méid a dúirt sé in iúl don Aire.

The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda resources, including personnel. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána on 31 March 2006 was 12,439. That compares with a total strength of 10,702, all ranks, on 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737, or 16.2%, in the personnel strength of the force during that period.

The Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, last week spoke to the Minister, Deputy McDowell, and the Garda Commissioner about Bunbeg Garda station and the situation in Gweedore generally. I understand that local Garda management will attend a meeting in Gweedore tomorrow with public representatives to discuss the outcome of a recent pubic meeting regarding policing in the area. The number of gardaí, all ranks, stationed in the Donegal division was recently increased from 417 at the end of December 2005 to 433 at 31 March 2006. The divisional resources are further augmented by a number of Garda national units such as the Garda National Immigration Bureau, GNIB, the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, and other specialised units.

As part of the accelerated recruitment campaign to facilitate the record expansion of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members, 1,125 Garda recruits were inducted into the Garda College during 2005. The college will induct a further 1,100 recruits this year and again in 2007 by way of intakes to the Garda College of approximately 275 recruits every quarter. The first incremental increase of newly attested gardaí under the current programme of accelerated recruitment took place on 16 March, and an additional 21 gardaí were allocated to the Donegal division in conjunction with that incremental increase. Further groups of 275 newly attested officers will come on stream every three months henceforth.

Bunbeg Garda station forms part of the Glenties district of the Donegal division. The personnel strength of Bunbeg Garda station on 31 March 2006 was six, all ranks. The Minister is further informed that while Bunbeg Garda station is not open on a 24-hour basis, 24-hour Garda cover is provided in the area. The policing service at Bunbeg is augmented by members attached to Annagry and Dungloe Garda stations. Additional patrols are provided by the Glenties district patrol car and the district detective unit when required.

Garda management reports that there are no plans to extend the opening hours of Bunbeg Garda station to a 24-hour basis because the extension of the opening hours of Garda stations in general necessitates the employment of additional personnel on indoor administrative duties who might be more effectively employed on outdoor policing duties.

PULSE is available at 231 Garda locations nationwide, including all major city stations and divisional and district headquarters. That represents a significant increase over 2005 figures, as an additional 50 stations were networked during the year. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Garda authorities have plans in place to extend PULSE further, and Bunbeg station is included in those plans. Meanwhile, the Garda Síochána has processes and procedures in place to assist gardaí in non-networked stations to access PULSE. Those processes and procedures cover both data entry and inquiry access to the information.

In addition, a major new initiative involving the manner in which data are input to PULSE is under way with the set-up of the new Garda Information Services Centre, GISC, at Castlebar, County Mayo. The centre, which is staffed by civilian personnel, allows for gardaí at the scene of incidents to report them by mobile telephone to call takers at the call centre. That obviates the need for gardaí to return to their stations to report incidents. The system is in operation to great effect in the southern and south-eastern regions, and work has now begun to extend the system nationwide, including to the northern region. These new arrangements will benefit all gardaí, especially those in non-networked stations. The Minister is confident that the measures outlined above, in particular the set-up of the call centre at Castlebar, will ensure that gardaí have access to the requisite information in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

It is the responsibility of Garda management to allocate personnel and resources throughout and within divisions on a priority basis in accordance with the requirements of different areas. The allocation of such resources is determined by several factors, including demographics, administrative functions, crime trends and other operational policing needs.

The timescale for achieving the target strength of 14,000 members of the Garda Síochána in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government remains the same as when the Minister announced Government approval in October 2004 for his proposals to achieve that objective. The phased increase in the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 will lead to a combined strength of attested gardaí and recruits in training of 14,000 by the end of this year. This project is fully on target and will be achieved. As I stated, the Commissioner will have at his disposal 275 newly attested officers every three months henceforth until the strength of the force reaches 14,000. The Garda Commissioner will draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage those additional resources, and in that context the needs of Bunbeg Garda station will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda stations throughout the country.