Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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This is a simple question. Page 98 of the programme for Government outlines that there will be a review of Garda districts. When will the review start, what will be its timeframe and when is it expected to conclude?

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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On behalf of the Tánaiste, who cannot be here today, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter.

The Government has, in its programme for a partnership Government, recognised community policing as the embodiment of An Garda Siochána, providing a means of recognising that every community, both urban and rural, has its own concerns and expectations. It commits the Government to ensuring visible, effective and responsive policing in every community, including the most minimal response times possible. In support of this objective, the Tánaiste has asked the Policing Authority to oversee a review of, among other things, both the boundaries of Garda districts and the dispersal of Garda stations in rural areas.

I understand that the authority has, in accordance with section 117(2) of the Garda Siochána Act 2005, formally requested the Garda Síochána Inspectorate to examine the dispersal and use of resources available to the Garda Siochána in the delivery of policing services to local communities and to make recommendations to provide a more effective, visible and responsive policing service. The authority has informed the inspectorate that the review should take account of the changing environments in rural, developing urban and suburban areas, the views of local communities, the allocation and deployment of Garda resources at the local policing level, including the use of the Garda Reserve, Garda facilities and Garda equipment as well as relevant recommendations made in previous inspectorate reports. The Tánaiste looks forward to receiving the review from the authority and I am informed that it should be available within 12 months.

Separately, the programme also commits the Government to launching a pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine possible positive impacts that such openings could have on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order. Accordingly, the Tánaiste has requested the Garda Commissioner, while fully cognisant of her statutory functions in relation to the distribution of Garda resources in the State, to identify six stations for reopening.

The Government’s overarching commitment is to ensure a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. In furtherance of this, the Tánaiste recently announced that the Government has approved her proposal for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Garda Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. In 2017, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians to support the wide ranging reform plan in train in An Garda Síochána. Appointments will also be made to the Garda Reserve of approximately 300. In addition, the Government’s capital plan 2016-2021 provides €205 million for investment in Garda information and communications technology, ICT, infrastructure and some €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet.

Taken together, the Garda Authority’s review in conjunction with the above measures, reinforce the Government’s commitment to enabling significant reform in An Garda Síochána and to providing a high profile and visible policing service for our communities.

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for State for the reply, which indicates that within 12 months the review will be completed, including the review of Garda boundaries.

I wish to put on the record my strongly held view that the decision by Assistant Garda Commissioner Jack Nolan, who was then based in the south east, to merge two districts was a terrible one. It was the worst decision on the policing of the south east at that time and to date. Two districts, Enniscorthy and Gorey, were merged into a single Garda district which has a population base of 85,000. It is bigger than seven or eight counties in the country. In that one district there is only one superintendent and two inspectors.

I want to put the negative impact of the decision on the area into context. I was informed that three new inspectors would be appointed for the three Garda districts in County Wexford, namely Wexford, New Ross and Enniscorthy. The latter comprises the two aforementioned merged districts. I did not jump for joy at this news because the population of the Enniscorthy district is equivalent to the population of the two other districts. The other two districts got one inspector each but Enniscorthy only got one new inspector, even though it has a population of 85,000.

I repeat that it was a terrible, if not ludicrous, decision. At one stage, there was talk of removing the civilian staff, the sergeants and the inspector from the district but thankfully that did not happen. The staff remained and Enniscorthy district now has four civilian staff, sergeants and an inspector. I want the Gorey district to be reinstated as a full policing district. It is one of the fastest growing districts in the country. To do what was done by the Assistant Garda Commissioner, Jack Nolan and the then Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan, was reckless. I want that decision reversed.

The Minister of State has said that we will have a decision within a year and I look forward to that.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Once again, on behalf of the Tánaiste, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter in the House. As I mentioned, the Policing Authority has, in accordance with section 117(2) of the Garda Siochána Act 2005, formally requested the Garda Siochána Inspectorate to examine the dispersal and use of resources available to the Garda Siochána in the delivery of policing services to local communities and to make recommendations to provide a more effective, visible and responsive policing service. As Deputy D'Arcy knows, the Garda Síochána is very professional in the carrying out of its business. In addition, the Tánaiste has asked the Garda Commissioner to identify for reopening six Garda stations that were closed under the district and station rationalisation scheme. Work is underway on both of these initiatives and the Tánaiste looks forward, with interest, to their completion.

In the meantime, the Government is fully committed, in line with the programme for Government, to ensuring visible, effective and responsive policing of every community, including the most minimal response times possible. I am sure that note will be taken of the Deputy's comments this evening. This commitment is underscored by the Government's accelerated recruitment programme and the ongoing major investment in the Garda fleet and the ICT infrastructure of An Garda Síochána, which will facilitate the provision of high-visibility and mobile policing services to communities. Taken together with the ongoing Garda modernisation and renewal programme, these measures will better equip An Garda Síochána and facilitate the provision of a 21st century policing service that fully meets the expectations of our communities.

Once again, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and assure him that I will convey his views to the Tánaiste.