Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. One of the key recommendations of the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was the redeployment of members of An Garda Síochána from non-core duties to front-line duties. One of the non-core duties specified was the carrying out of security duties at courthouses by An Garda Síochána. The case with which I want to deal specifically, and the one I know best, is that of the new courthouse on Mulgrave Street in Limerick. This was opened in March 2018 and has been a great addition to Limerick and to the delivery of justice in the region but, when it was established in May 2018, 22 gardaí were reassigned from front-line duties to non-core security duties at the courthouse on Mulgrave Street. This is a very inefficient use of the skills of members of An Garda Síochána. The key recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland were developed in an implementation plan published last December following the publication of the commission's report in September. One of the key goals for 2019 under the plan is the redeployment of gardaí from non-core security duties in courts to front-line community policing duties. This is already the case in Dublin. Security work at the new Criminal Courts of Justice building, opened in 2010, is carried out by a private security firm, G4S. This firm also carries out security duties at the Four Courts in Dublin.

Private security firms do not carry out security duties in any court outside of Dublin. I want the courthouse on Mulgrave Street in Limerick to be the first outside of Dublin in which the key recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which is also a goal for 2019 under the implementation plan, is implemented so that these 22 gardaí, who are needed on the streets of Limerick, can return to front-line duties. We need them in suburbs such as my own area of Castletroy and Monaleen, Dooradoyle, Corbally, and Caherdavin. They are needed in the city centre where many businesses have major issues with antisocial behaviour and theft. The public of Limerick wish the see their members of An Garda Síochána on community duties, on the beat, on bikes, in patrol cars, walking the streets, and making people feel safer.They do not wish to see them tied up in performing security duties in the courthouse that could be carried out better and more efficiently by a private security firm. I am not expecting all 22 gardaí who include two sergeants to be fully redeployed because in the courthouse we will require gardaí to exercise powers that private security firms do not have such as the power of arrest. However, I want to see immediate action on this issue which I raised with the local chief superintendent, Mr. Gerard Roche, at the joint policing committee meeting in Limerick last Friday. He very much supports my proposal, as does the superintendent in Henry Street Garda station, Mr. Derek Smart. Can the Minister make Mulgrave Street courthouse the first outside Dublin in which private security firms take over security duties, meaning that the 22 gardaí engaged in security duties in the courthouse can be redeployed to engage in front-line community policing in Limerick city and its environs?

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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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.

Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. It is welcome that he has confirmed that the implementation plan of the Commission on the Future of Policing of Ireland refers to the redeployment of gardaí from court security duties to front-line duties in 2019. He also referred to the value for money study in the context of prison escorts. I am not talking about prison escorts but physical security in the courts. In the Four Courts and the Criminal Courts of Justice beside Heuston Station there is high level security like that provided in an airport. I want to see the same high level security on Mulgrave Street in Limerick. Twenty-two gardaí are tied up in carrying out court duties when they should be out policing the streets of Limerick. I, for one, would like to see this initiative expedited. The value for money study of prison escorts is a secondary issue. I am referring to a mainstream issue, one I will continue to pursue.

When the new courthouse was opened in Mulgrave Street in March 2018, discussions took place on the use of a private security firm. It ended up that the Garda had to provide the security detail. When the Criminal Courts of Justice were opened in Dublin in 2010, how did it happen that a private security firm was given the contract to provide security considering that when a new courthouse was opened on Mulgrave Street, Limerick, eight years later, the Garda had to provide the security service? I will continue to pursue the matter with the Minister and Garda Commissioner, Mr. Drew Harris. Twenty-two gardaí were redeployed from front-line duties to non-core duties and I would like to see this reversed. The Minister of State might reiterate the commitment of the Government in that regard.

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I do not have the answer to that specific question, but it must be emphasised that the work in implementing the recommendations made in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is a long-term commitment that will take a number of years to complete. The recommendations made in the commission's report will be implemented on a phased basis in the next four years. A Policing Service for the Future will be a living document that will be updated, as required, on a biannual basis by the implementation group on policing reform. Based on the four-year plan, it is expected that all agreed recommendations will be substantially implemented by the end of 2022, the 100th anniversary of the establishment of An Garda Síochána.

On the specific issue of moving members of An Garda Síochána away from providing security in courts to front-line policing roles, the Department is working closely with all of the agencies involved to make progress on this goal, initially as part of the work of developing the recommendations contained in the value for money review. This work will inform the wider review of court security. It is not just a matter of court duties but also of the transfer of prisoners to and from courts. The Government looks forward to continuing to work towards and support this goal through co-operation between the Department of Justice and Equality, An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service. Alongside the continued progress on civilianisation and recruitment within An Garda Síochána, the recommendations made in the commission's report will ensure more gardaí are available for front-line policing duties. I understand the logic behind what the Senator says should happen and that he does not want gardaí to do what they are currently doing just because that is the way it has always been done. We can change. The report of the commission is very clear that we need fewer gardaí in roles that could be carried out by civilians. There are specialised skill sets and abilities in certain firms. The Senator highlighted G4S. It is an international firm which is carrying out the service in question all over the world. We can use its skill set and expertise to continue civilianisation in order that we will have gardaí on the streets. They should be visible, out and about meeting people to get to know them and working and living in the community. That also benefits the Garda tremendously.