Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the recommendations contained in the latest report of the Garda Inspectorate on resource allocation that will be implemented during 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12989/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The latest report of the Inspectorate concerns the allocation of Garda resources and contains a range of positive recommendations on how the fluctuating demand for policing services can be better measured and how Garda resources can be efficiently deployed to meet that demand. Key to this will be the use of technology, such as command and control, computer aided dispatch, and HR systems, and the introduction of new and more effective roster systems. The aim is to maximise the number of front line Gardaí in the right place at the right time, building on the huge investment there has been recently in Garda technology and resources.

These are important and welcome recommendations which should be of significant assistance to the Commissioner and his team as they build on recent progress in making maximum use of resources. Indeed, Garda management already have well developed proposals for many of the key initiatives envisaged in the report, such as a new command and control system, a new computer aided despatch system and a new human resource management system. This ambitious programme builds on the recent and unprecedented investment in Garda technology which has seen the new national digital radio service being rolled out across the force, a new automated finger print and ballistics identification system, a new automated number plate recognition system and significant enhancements to the pulse system. In all, investment in Garda ICT programmes is currently running at approximately €70 million per year.

I will fully support the Garda Commissioner as he continues to implement and expand a wide-ranging programme of reform which effectively addresses the issues identified in the report.