Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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10. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied that the present Garda Síochána structures are adequate and sufficiently responsive to meet the security needs of communities, particularly in the Border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25050/23]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As the Minister is aware, a new Garda operating model was introduced in early 2019 on a pilot basis. The model proposes to reduce the number of Garda divisions from 28 to 19. It will not be a suitable configuration for the Border region. It is proposed that Cavan, Monaghan and Louth would be amalgamated into one Garda division with the chief superintendent based in Drogheda. It is a long way from Drogheda to Blacklion or Dowra in west Cavan Literally, it is a journey from the east coast to the west coast. I would like the views of the Minister on this proposed model and reconfiguration.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Smith for the question. He and I and the Government are committed to working to make sure we build strong, safe communities and that we support the Garda and resource it properly. Everyone, no matter where in the country people live, deserves to be safe and feel safe. This is central to all that we do with regard to our community safety policy.

As Deputy Smith is aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business and he determines the distribution of gardaí throughout the country. I do not have a role in these matters. The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recognises that community safety is not solely the responsibility of the Garda or the Department of Justice alone. Rather, it is a whole-of-government responsibility.

Deputy Smith may be aware that a number of actions are in progress under A Policing Service for the Future, which is our implementation plan.

The Garda Commissioner is currently rolling out the new Garda operating model, which seeks to release front-line gardaí from roles that can be effectively carried out by civilian Garda staff, thereby developing a stronger focus on community policing and being able to provide a wide range of policing services locally. The purpose of the new operating model is to increase Garda visibility, community engagement and the deployment of specialist services throughout the country so those specialist services are not too far from any one region or community. This, coupled with some realignment of responsibilities, will help to deliver a community-focused policing service. I think we all agree that community policing has been at the heart of all that An Garda Síochána has done since its foundation over 100 years ago, and I can assure the Deputy that we are committed to maintaining that tradition so all communities, including Border communities, feel safe and are safe.

In relation to the Border counties, including the Deputy's constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, the completion of a new station for Bailieborough this year will support the wider delivery of policing services, while the Cavan armed support unit centre was officially opened on 16 October 2021 to enhance policing and security services in the area. I am also advised that there is ongoing, close co-operation between An Garda Síochána and their colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland to tackle cross-Border criminality, including through the mechanism of the Joint Agency Task Force. I will continue to engage and work with Deputy Smith, and I will certainly feed back his views in regard to the new structures to the Garda Commissioner.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As a public representative during very bad years in this country, during the era known as the Troubles, I was very conscious of the great work of the emergency services in the Border region, including An Garda Síochána, during the most difficult of times. The Minister referred earlier to the threat from some dissidents and that is still around. There are unique policing demands in a border region. We have a long land border with Northern Ireland. The model proposed by the Commissioner will have Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim in one division and a reduction in the number of operating superintendents who are out there in uniform, meeting the people. It is the same in Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. I believe the structure that was there, despite its failings, like those of every other public service, did a damned good job for our country during the most difficult years. I think that infrastructure and the configuration that is there at present, with additional resources, and additional resources are always needed, is the best way to ensure our Border communities are safe. Alongside losing superintendents, we have also lost, as a result of Commissioner Harris’s decision, an assistant commissioner in Sligo for the Border region. We are losing key people and I believe a halt should be put to it.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I very much respect Deputy Smith and his strong views and, indeed, his significant experience in this House and in the Border region, so I take seriously what he says. He will know that I have to say respectfully that the deployment of gardaí and management structures is, as it should be, a matter for the Garda Commissioner. What we can do, as a Government, is make sure that we increase the size of the Garda, increase the resources available to the Commissioner, have more men and women in the Garda, have more vehicles, have better Garda stations, as we have in Bailieborough, and provide bodycams and provide equipment, resources and more people to help them.

To be frank, I think there are two benefits to the new model that I would feed back respectfully to Border communities. The first is that, at its heart, it is about freeing up gardaí to be out on the front line. At its heart, it is trying to move away from just looking at it from an office point of view towards how we get more gardaí onto the front line. The second is the fact of the specialist units not being based just in the big cities and the populous parts of this country but in the regions as well. I will feed the Deputy’s views back to the Garda Commissioner.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister mentioned additional civilian staff, which we appreciate. My understanding is that some of the operating chief superintendents and the superintendents who were actually out there in uniform meeting the people, will be going to back-office jobs, when I think we need more engagement. Over the years, in the two counties that I have had the privilege of representing, I always saw that the best policing model was when the public at large knew who the chief superintendent, the superintendent, the inspectors and the gardaí were. That engagement with the people is critical and instils confidence in communities and individuals.

The Minister mentioned the welcome development at Bailieborough and I appreciate his support in advance of that project. The then Minister, Deputy Flanagan, very helpfully responded to ongoing representations that I made regarding the reopening of Bawnboy Garda station in my home village some years ago, but that has not been progressed by An Garda Síochána. I would like the Minister to pursue that particular issue as well.

I understand that this operating model has been postponed indefinitely. It does not meet with the support of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, and the superintendents have commented about the lack of resources. It is postponed indefinitely. I would love to see it abandoned, and I am talking about the Border region in particular. I think the existing structure, enhanced by resources, would be the best model.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Before I call the Minister, Deputy O'Dowd wants to come in.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the effort and the work of the gardaí in Drogheda and County Louth, as well as the additional gardaí in the county. We have over 70 new gardaí in the whole county and in my own town of Drogheda we have 16 new community gardaí. Whatever about the chief superintendent, and I have no issue with Deputy Smith on that, it is the community garda who is the person that is needed - the man on the ground, the man with the knowledge, the man in the place, the man you can contact, the man who turns up. That is what we need and we are getting that in County Louth, which I welcome.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy O’Dowd. I am pleased to hear of the increasing garda numbers. As we continue to see more men and women enter Templemore and more gardaí come out, I can assure him the direction of travel will be upwards in terms of Garda resources, with a focus on community gardaí. At the core of all that gardaí do and have done so well is policing by consent and policing in communities, which has been an incredible success for over 100 years.

With regard to Deputy Smith's point, I will certainly follow up on that individual issue that he raises and get him an update, as he asked. I have engaged with the AGSI, the Association of Garda Superintendents and the Garda Representative Association, GRA, and I am in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner. The Department of Justice has its policing legislation coming through this House at the moment and there are opportunities to tease through all of these issues. I genuinely believe, from all of those conversations, that while people have different views, what unites them all is that whatever model it is – and the operating model is the model - it is dependent on resources and dependent on making sure there are enough men and women in An Garda Síochána to roll it out successfully. I believe that as we grow resources, a lot of those concerns can be addressed, but we will continue to engage intensively on that.