Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan.

On 18 December 2018 the Government endorsed the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and accepted all 157 of its key recommendations, including those related to the reassignment of non-core duties, subject to further evaluation. The Minister also published a high level plan, A Policing Service for the Future, which set out the approach to implementation in the next four years of the commission's recommendations. Their implementation is being overseen by a dedicated programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach, as recommended in the commission's report. As set out in the implementation plan, work will commence on a review of An Garda Síochána's role in court security in quarter three of this year, with a view to completion by year end. The recommendations on responsibility for court security duties will then be implemented during the next phase of the implementation plan, from January 2020 to June 2021.

Progress continues to be made on civilianisation, with approximately 410 new civilian posts sanctioned since the beginning of 2017. I understand approximately 340 gardaí were redeployed by the Commissioner to operational policing duties between the beginning of 2017 and the end of quarter 1 of 2019. That is positive progress and civilianisation, including redeployment, will continue in 2019. In that regard, the Minister welcomes the Commissioner's decision to recruit a net 600 Garda staff in 2019 which will facilitate the redeployment of 500 gardaí to visible front-line policing duties in 2019. It is also encouraging that there continues to be a strong pipeline of candidates who wish to join An Garda Síochána in the most recent recruitment campaign which closed on 24 April and attracted in excess of 5,000 applicants. This level of recruitment will ensure we remain on track to deliver a Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, to include 15,000 Garda members and 4,000 civilians.

The issue of members of An Garda Síochána being redeployed from providing security in courts is linked with the issue of An Garda Síochána providing escorts for prisoners attending court. A value for money study of prison escorts was conducted last year, led by the Department of Justice and Equality. Work is ongoing between the Department, An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service to develop the recommendations made in the value for money study. The review of court security provision as part of the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland will be informed to a considerable extent by the outcome of this work, given that the management of prisoners attending court is largely carried out by the Garda and prison service personnel who escort the prisoners. It is a major aspect of court security.

The Department of Justice and Equality will continue to work with all of the agencies involved to progress the reassignment, to the greatest extent possible, of gardaí to front-line policing duties.