Written answers

Thursday, 16 November 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Garda Deployment

5:00 pm

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of Gardaí that have been freed up from full time desk duty for frontline Garda duties. [38421/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently over 1,900 civilian staff working in An Garda Síochána.

Very significant developments have taken place in the area of civilianisation recently and I will now outline the key aspects. The Garda Information Service Centre (GISC) in Castlebar is now fully operational, with some 160 civilian staff now employed there. The GISC allows Gardaí who would otherwise have to return to their Stations to input data on the PULSE system, to log the information with the GISC, while remaining on the beat. This major initiative has freed up significant amounts of Garda time for continued operational duty. The Garda authorities are already considering what other tasks could be devolved to the GISC which would release additional Garda resources to front-line policing.

On 16 October, 2006, I made an Order to give effect to the transfer of civilian staff to the direct control of the Garda Commissioner, a reform provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This followed the conclusion of discussions with staff interests. As part of the agreement with the staff side on the transfer of staff, sanction has been granted by the Minister for Finance for an additional 76 civilian clerical and administrative posts to be located around the country on a regional and divisional basis. Recruitment to these posts will be progressed as quickly as possible.

A new Human Resources Division for civilian staff in An Garda Síochána has now been established. When fully operational, the Division will have a staffing complement of 37 civilians who will carry out recruitment, training, discipline, industrial relations and general HR administrative functions for the 1,900 clerical, administrative, professional, technical and industrial civilians now working with An Garda Síochána. The Division will also play a key strategic role in driving forward the wider Civilianisation Programme. The Director and a number of staff have commenced duty, and recruitment of the remaining staff is underway.

Under the Garda Síochána Act, the Commissioner became the Accounting Officer for An Garda Síochána in July this year. This transfer of responsibility is being supported by the recruitment of nine (9) civilian Finance & Procurement staff.

My Department has also received sanction from my colleague the Minister for Finance to civilianise 31 posts in the Garda Telecommunications area. These positions, most of which were previously occupied by Gardaí, will be advertised shortly. Progress is also being made on recruitment to a range of new civilian posts, including:

28 staff (statisticians, analysts and administrative staff) for the Professional Standards Unit;

10 internal audit posts;

14 additional teaching/training posts in the Garda College, Templemore; and

29 crime analysts.

As the Deputy can see, considerable progress is now being made in driving the Civilianisation Programme forward to ensure that the Gardaí being recruited in the current historic expansion of the Force are deployed to front-line policing duties, and that appropriately trained and qualified civilians make the greatest contribution possible consistent with the effective and efficient functioning of An Garda Síochána. I am confident that the progress now being made on civilianisation will deliver on both fronts.

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