Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. It is good to see her back.

Like other Members, including Senator Gallagher, it is important to express my gratitude, and that of the communities I represent, to An Garda Síochána. It is important to pay tribute to those who put on the uniform and go out to protect our communities. They do so in the knowledge that they may not return home. Unfortunately, this has happened in the State over many years. It is important when talking about individual gardaí and the Garda that we all acknowledge the wonderful service they give to this country. That is acknowledged every time we speak in this House and, indeed, as every other opportunity we get.

I am very glad to have the opportunity to speak on the legislation before the House. As the Minister stated, it is part of a comprehensive reform agenda. It is a technical measure, we were told, but it represents a quite substantial change in itself. The stated intention of the Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021 is to facilitate the implementation of the new operating model planned by the Garda. The Bill proposes certain amendments to legislation to facilitate the introduction of changes to the structures of the Garda. These amendments primarily relate to the abolition of Garda districts and the reassignment of some of the functions performed by members of the Garda Síochána in Garda districts to other members in Garda divisions.

As mentioned by colleagues, the Bill will see a number of new operating models in a structure around the Garda divisions. Under the divisional policing model being introduced, all services will be managed and co-ordinated at divisional level to allow greater specialisation and to release gardaí from back-office functions, which is what we all want to see. Garda districts will no longer form part of the organisational structure.

The new operating model, we are told, is currently operating on a pilot basis and is due to go live in September 2021. What we all want to see, which I am sure has been mentioned to me regularly and the Minister daily, is gardaí back on the streets. People want to see them back in their communities. I sincerely hope this Bill will result in more gardaí in communities.

Let me refer to the county in which I live, County Kildare. Under the new structures, the headquarters in the division where I live will be in Portlaoise, to cover the counties of Laois, Kildare and Offaly. While it may be asked why the headquarters are to be located in County Laois, which has a much smaller population than County Kildare, the bigger question for some time has concerned the number of gardaí per head of population in County Kildare. I, along with many other public representatives from Kildare, have raised this matter at every opportunity, most recently with Commissioner Harris at the annual joint policing committee meeting in County Kildare. According to the figures I have seen most recently, Kildare has the second lowest ratio of gardaí to members of the population, second only to the Minister's county, Meath. This is an historical issue, unfortunately. Simply put, it is not acceptable any more given the massive growth in the population in County Kildare and the Minister's county. We need more experienced gardaí to be transferred to, and based in, south Kildare, particularly in the stations of Athy and Newbridge. I believe that eight probationary gardaí have been deployed recently to Kildare. This is obviously very welcome but, given the growing issues in several towns in Kildare, we need experienced gardaí to work alongside them. We need to see gardaí back on the streets. That will deter those who want to engage in unlawful behaviour in our towns from doing so. It is what citizens are looking for. I hope that, in supporting this Bill, we are facilitating that. However, I need to call once more for the strengthening of the Garda force in south Kildare.

I want to raise the issue of joint policing committees with the Minister. As I understand it, the committees are to change owing to the restructuring. I have always found my joint policing committee to be an excellent forum. It gives an opportunity to discuss information and concerns with local gardaí. I have been contacted by a number of councillor colleagues who are questioning the changes. Perhaps in the Minister's response, she can give some further detail on what those changes will be and how they will affect us. The proposed reduction of the number of public representatives is a worry among many. I welcome the idea of having more community involvement. Our gardaí should be based in the community whenever possible. Local representatives are elected, however, and there is concern among them. The Minister, in her reply, might mention this matter.