Dáil debates
Tuesday, 8 March 2022
Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate
An Garda Síochána
10:35 pm
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Now that Covid restrictions have eased, I have been happy to meet with groups around County Carlow. An issue that has come up often is the lack of gardaí in communities. I want to discuss with the Minister the number of community gardaí in Carlow and Kilkenny because there certainly are concerns that there are not enough of them. I have written to the Garda Commissioner to ask about recruitment in my constituency. I am very concerned about this since we are now centralised, with Carlow seeming to be the poor relation in the arrangement.
Rural crime has affected us all, directly or indirectly, and we cannot continue to let it happen. People feel they are not being heard on this issue. I attend the meetings of my local joint policing committee every three or four months, which are really helpful. I compliment the members of An Garda Síochána in Carlow on the excellent job they are doing, but they are very short-staffed. The assignment of gardaí to communities is the main issue that is raised at every meeting of the joint policing committee. For example, the Garda station in Leighlinbridge was closed in 2013 and, at around the same time, the post office and houses were burgled and machinery and tools were stolen. A local Garda station is vital for small rural villages and townlands.
Since the Government has promised to reopen the station, I am looking for the date on which the Department of Justice will honour its commitment in this regard. The reopening is urgent and I am receiving calls to this effect. I would like to see an end to false hope and to see genuine action taken. I have tabled numerous parliamentary questions on this. I have raised it as a Topical Issue many times and have spoken at length about it. Carlow needs to be made a priority in Dublin and I intend to make my voice heard on this.
I want to ask about Text Alert. Text alerts are vital in the community but cost money, as the Minister of State knows. We need some kind of funding stream. What sort of funding have we available now for communities to help them with text alerts? They are so valuable, particularly to elderly residents in rural areas. I know this from talking to people. They talk about the cost of living. Services such as Text Alert will be cut if people cannot afford them. I am aware that there was a LEADER scheme. Could we have a scheme that would ensure that text alerts continue and that there is some funding for people?
10:45 pm
Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As she will be aware, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which encompasses all operational policing matters, including the allocation of resources. The Minister for Justice has no statutory role in regard to these operational policing matters.
I am aware that the Government is committed to supporting a strong and visible police presence throughout the country to detect and prevent crime and provide reassurance to local communities across the country.
To date, the official categorisation of a community garda has simply referred to those who are exclusively assigned to building relationships with local communities and civil society, including through giving talks to schools and community groups. It is important to note, however, 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. Indeed, this is fundamental to the new Garda operating model recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and currently being rolled out under A Policing Service for Our Future, the Government's implementation plan for the commission's recommendations.
An unprecedented allocation in excess of €2 billion was provided in budget 2022 for An Garda Síochána. It includes funding for the recruitment of up to 800 additional Garda members and 400 Garda staff. Many of the Garda members to be recruited will be drawn from the Garda recruitment competition that opened just last month. I am happy to note on behalf of the Minister that the number of applications received thus far from those interested in a career in An Garda Síochána is high.
I am informed that as of 31 January 2022, the latest date when figures were available, 97 community gardaí were assigned to the Kilkenny-Carlow division. This represents an increase of over 14% since December 2017, when there were 85 community gardaí assigned to the division. This allocation comprises 14 sergeants and 83 gardaí.
While the Deputy will appreciate that the allocation of resources is an operational matter for the Commissioner, I am assured that the situation remains closely monitored by the Garda senior leadership team, particularly in view of commitments to the continued roll-out of the operating model of policing at divisional level to ensure optimum use of all Garda resources in providing the best possible Garda service to the community.
I can reassure the Deputy that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, will continue to engage closely with the Garda Commissioner in regard to all community safety issues in the context of prioritising the delivery of the suite of community safety commitments contained in the programme for Government and the justice plan.
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. It is great to welcome the recruitment of 800 gardaí and staff members. The Minister of State said 97 community gardaí were assigned to the Kilkenny–Carlow division but did not actually tell me how many gardaí are in Carlow. Although Carlow is smaller than Kilkenny, I am a Deputy for Carlow-Kilkenny and believe it is important that I get the figures for Carlow. It is good to see the increase but it is important that Carlow is never left behind. I always feel it is because it is a smaller county. Therefore, I ask for the figures for it.
I compliment the gardaí I know in Carlow and Kilkenny. They do an excellent job but it is important to see more community gardaí. This is what we have always wanted in rural areas such as County Carlow. It gives a sense of security, particularly for elderly people. It is important that we talk about Text Alert. I attended a Text Alert meeting recently and it was lovely to see the big crowd at it. It was like a little community event, but there is now concern over paying money towards Text Alert. We need to consider that and encourage people to opt for Text Alert more, particularly in rural areas. There should be funding. In this regard, we need to determine which is the relevant Department.
While it is good that there is recruitment of new gardaí, which I welcome, the Minister of State must make sure that smaller counties such as Carlow are not left behind. I ask that he send me the figures for Carlow Garda station. Well done to everyone involved. For nearly two years, Covid has not been easy on anyone. Gardaí have played a huge part in calling to people and checking on people. We have to recognise their work but we need to ensure we have enough gardaí in the community.
Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy again for raising the issue. I will convey her comments to the Minister. It is important to restate the key point I made, that is, that local and senior Garda management are consulted during the allocation of personnel. They are responsible for the specific deployment or assignment of duties undertaken at divisional level.
With regard to Text Alert, I have heard what the Deputy has said. The budget for 2022 provided for the establishment of the new community safety innovation fund, but I will convey the Deputy's comments on Text Alert to the Minister.