Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 557: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of the 496 positions which have been civilianised to date, with reference to the civilianisation of Garda posts approved by the Government in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33012/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In 2001, the Government approved an extensive programme of civilianisation to be introduced on a phased basis over several years. This includes the posts referred to by the Deputy. The programme provided for the civilianisation of these posts in the short, medium and long term; the transfer of the finance function from Garda district clerks to civilian staff; and the transfer of civilian staff from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the Garda Síochána as civil servants of the State. More than 1,000 clerical, administrative and services posts are filled by civilians in the Garda Síochána. Included in this cohort are 113 staff officers occupying district finance officer positions.

The transfer of civilian staff of the Department to the Garda Síochána is provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the transfer of the finance function is almost complete. However, the next phase of the civilianisation programme, including the civilianisation of the posts referred to by the Deputy, must be rolled out within the confines of the Government decision of 4 December 2002 which placed a cap on numbers across the Civil Service and public service. The Department is, as a matter of priority, reviewing the position with both the Department of Finance and Garda management as to how it will proceed further with Garda civilianisation in the context of the overall constraints of Civil Service and public service numbers.

The purpose of the review is to enable, to the greatest extent possible, movement to front-line policing of desk-bound gardaí from administrative and technical functions to operational duties. This is in keeping with the general policy that civilianisation allows certain jobs to be done at a more economic cost and allows gardaí to focus on work more suited to their training and skills, thereby increasing overall operational capacity within the Garda Síochána. With that in mind, the Government earlier this year agreed in principle to the re-assignment of staff from the Department of Agriculture and Food who are based in Davitt House, Castlebar, to a new Garda unit, the Garda information service centre, GISC, to perform administrative functions for the Garda. The immediate focus is on the transfer of the Castlebar staff and dealing with the personnel and industrial relations issues that arise.