Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was going to begin from a different perspective but I will pick up on Senator Ó Ríordáin's point. This is something that I have considered. A model is already in vogue called the community safety and policing forum and the joint policing committees which I believe can be revamped and rethought to accommodate some of the things Senator Ó Ríordáin has spoken about and giving meaningful roles to people along with An Garda Síochána rather than just going through the usual reports from city manager to county manager to the garda crime figures. I ask that the Minister examine this with the Garda Commissioner. There is a need to bring in community involvement and stakeholders, although I do not like using that word, such as community organisations, education bodies, sporting clubs and civic leaders and bodies to tackle some of the issues we discuss each week at our policing forums and committees.

We are lucky that we have a Minister for Justice and Equality who understands and recognises the importance of policing and of community. What we are trying to put together, and what we are doing, is to have a response to crime. None of the Members opposite mentioned the success rate of An Garda Síochána in detection and combating crime.While we have a number of issues in my own city of Cork, God knows, if one listened to local radio stations over the past two weeks, one would swear Cork was at a standstill, when in fact it is the opposite. This week, in Douglas, two new community gardaí will be put in place, which I welcome. I also welcome the reopening of the Garda stations in Douglas and Bishopstown. These announcements are significant movements and demonstrate positivity. We also have, in tandem with the Government and An Garda Síochána, personal and societal responsibilities. People spoke about criminality and whatever, but many people know who these people, the perpetrators of crimes, are.

In welcoming the new model of community policing and the policing model announced by the Garda Commissioner, Mr. Harris, the Minister is right to say that localised policing is based on community needs. That is why in my contribution I have spoken about the aspect of the joint policing committees and the community safety fora. It is the localised aspect and those in the community who know the answer and who want to bring about change and enhance their societies and communities.

The Members opposite come to the House every day and ask for more gardaí, cars, equipment, resources - the list goes on. I remind Senators Gallagher and Murnane O'Connor that the taxpayers pay €3 million a week on the interest on the money borrowed to bail out the banks because of their Government's recklessness. That is their legacy.