Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 517: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has plans, both enforcement and funding, under the Intoxicating Liquor Public Order Bill 2008 to specifically deal with the extra resources required to police late night discos at locations that experience a significant increase in population during summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17593/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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One of the policing priorities set out under the Garda Síochána Acts 2005 to 2007 is to combat, in cooperation with other agencies and the community generally, the problems of public disorder with particular emphasis on alcohol related behaviour (including under age drinking) and socially disadvantaged communities especially through utilisation of the available legal mechanisms, including behaviour warnings and closure orders.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that work on the necessary arrangements for the introduction of Section 184 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which amends the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to provide for a fixed penalty procedure in relation to the public order offences of intoxication in a public place (section 4) and disorderly conduct in a public place (section 5) as an alternative to proceedings being taken in the first instance, are under way and that it is expected that these arrangements will be introduced in the coming months.

I am further informed that Operation Encounter, which was introduced in 2002, continues to target public disorder and anti-social behaviour against the community and local businesses. The Operation specifically targets offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1996 and the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988, which include the sale to and consumption of alcohol by underage persons.

In the General Scheme of the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008 which was recently published, there is a proposal to empower the Garda Síochána to seize alcohol where it is in the possession of people under the age of 18 in public places. It is also intended to provide the power to members of An Garda Síochána to seize alcohol and to move persons on where the Garda is of the opinion that consumption of that alcohol, by persons of any age, will lead to a public order offence or a breach of the public peace. The level of all fines in the Criminal justice (Public Order) Act 1994 will also be revised upwards.

The accelerated intake of 1,100 Garda recruits per annum is continuing and as of 31 March 2008, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 13,900 fully attested members of An Garda Síochána with a further 1,306 recruits in training. The combined strength of the Force, including recruits in training, on that date was 15,206.

It is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner to allocate personnel throughout the Force taking all relevant factors into account. The situation is constantly kept under review and the allocation of Gardai throughout the country is carefully monitored by him in light of the overall policing requirements.