Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will now take Question No. 16, which I passed over earlier. The new Standing Order states that a Deputy must be present to have a question taken but as it is a new Standing Order and because Deputy Eugene Murphy was delayed, I will allow it.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

16. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána stations and the number of gardaí in each in counties Longford and Roscommon on 30 April 2011 and on 30 April 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17088/16]

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the generous understanding of the Chair but I got caught up in something and did not get to the House on time. I want to ask the Minister for Justice and Equality about the number of Garda Síochána stations and the number of gardaí in each of the counties in the Longford-Roscommon and Galway divisions on 30 April 2011 and on 30 April 2016.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As I said earlier in response to a similar question on a different area, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda regions, divisions and districts. It is kept under review and now that more gardaí are being recruited, there are new people available to go to new areas. In summary, there were 31 stations on 30 April 2011 with 303 members assigned to the Longford-Roscommon division. On 30 April 2016, there were 22 stations in the Longford-Roscommon division with 298 gardaí assigned to the division, a small drop in the number of gardaí there. There is a lot of information available down to district and sub-district level and I have arranged for it to be made available to the Deputy and to be put on the record.

I want to see a strong and visible police presence. This is dependent on recruitment and on the increasing civilianisation of gardaí and freeing gardaí from administrative tasks, which is extremely important to give our communities reassurance and to deter crime.

We are having success in terms of the targeted operations. I put the figures relating to Operation Thor in the public arena some time ago. I made €5 million available for overtime in that very targeted operation to deal with the spate of burglaries we have been seeing, and it had extremely good effects in many areas throughout the country. We have extra recruitment now and I hope to accelerate that process in September so that we will have more gardaí available to be assigned, at the discretion of the Commissioner, to the areas where the crime trends show the need for them.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Division of Roscommon / Longford 30 April 2016: Total = 298

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Given that her portfolio is an enormous one, I acknowledge that the Tánaiste, as the senior Minister in the Department, is here. It is important that she is here. I also acknowledge what the Tánaiste said about the superintendents and the Commissioner, but the Tánaiste needs to communicate this message back. In 2010, 183 gardaí were in service in County Roscommon. I understand the figure is now down to 169. This is a 7.7% drop and means there are 14 fewer gardaí. In the Galway division, which is part of the Galway region, covering Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, Ballygar, Creggs, Ballymoe, Glennamaddy, and Williamstown, in 2010 we had 54 gardaí, but it is now down to 46 gardaí. That is a 14.8% decrease. It is clear that rural Ireland is losing out.

I will give a few examples. In 2010, the town of Boyle had 30 gardaí. It is now down to 26 gardaí, which is a 13.3% drop. In 2010, the town of Ballinasloe had 46 gardaí. It is now down to 41 gardaí, which is a 10.9% drop. This is a crisis. Will the Tánaiste go back with a very strong message on policing in rural Ireland? It is not being addressed, the numbers are falling away and Garda stations are closing.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We had a cycle of boom and bust and an economy that was in deep trouble. It is clear that this had an impact on recruitment. Templemore was closed. I am the Minister that reopened Templemore, restarted recruitment and started reinvesting in An Garda Síochána. We want to provide as much support as possible to rural communities. The types of initiative that have been taken, for example, in Kilkenny, where we see the Garda and businesses working together on crime issues, have been very effective. I have seen that in other counties as well.

The Garda Commissioner examines crime trends. In some areas, crime figures have decreased considerably. We must align our allocation of gardaí and the designation of gardaí to different stations with the needs of the areas. I take the Deputy's points and have no doubt the Commissioner will consider them carefully. However, she looks at the needs of all Garda divisions when deciding the allocation of newly attested gardaí and, in fact, five of the newly attested gardaí have been assigned to the Longford-Roscommon Garda division to date.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for her reply. However, my understanding is that no new recruit came west of the River Shannon. Perhaps they came to Longford but, as far as I understand, no new recruit came west of the River Shannon.

I acknowledge the Tánaiste's reply. However, in the Roscommon-Galway division, seven Garda stations have been closed. Even if it were the case that just one or two of them were closed, I would not agree with it. Termonbarry is a beautiful village on the N5, a major route to the west and the River Shannon near it. Its Garda station is closed. Ballymoe is a busy part of County Galway; its Garda station is closed. I can also mentioned Knockcroghery, Ballyforan, Loughglinn, Ballintober and Cootehall. Take the closure of Cootehall Garda station, which is in the Boyle region. The number of gardaí in the Boyle Garda station, which was a 24-hour service that has now been cut back as well, has dropped by four, along with the closure of Cootehall Garda station in the same region. These are the issues and I ask the Tánaiste to bring back a strong message to the superintendents and the Commissioner. We need a change in policy and we need more gardaí in rural Ireland, particularly in Roscommon-Galway, the constituency in which I live.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I repeat that it is important that gardaí be allocated to where there is an identified strong need. We are accelerating recruitment but it will always be a finite resource. Where communities are working together, it is obvious that they need a garda. However, a whole-of-community response is important, with, for instance, tradespeople, business people and taxi drivers all working together. I have increased the funding available and doubled it for the likes of Macra na Feirme, Crimestoppers and voluntary organisations working on text alert and various other schemes. That is important as well. I believe that what we need more than anything is a mobile and responsive police force that can respond with alacrity to calls from the public and that can prevent and interrupt crime.