Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the growing concerns in the Inishowen area of County Donegal at the response of Gardaí to a number of incidents over recent weeks including delays of over 24 hour delays in taking statements from some victims of crime, the lack of availability of Gardaí in Buncrana in the early hours of weekends on a number of occasions and an incident in recent days in which a victim of burglary had to drive a Garda to her home to investigate the crime as he did not have a Garda vehicle available to him at his station; if he will acknowledge and accept that these incidents reflect the impact of Government cutbacks. [33778/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that as of 31st May 2012, there were 75 Gardaí assigned to the Buncrana Garda District, which covers the Inishowen peninsula, with 5 members of the Garda Reserve and 5 civilian staff also assigned to the District.

Local Garda management closely monitor the allocation of all resources in the context of crime trends, policing needs and other operational strategies in place on a District, Divisional and Regional level, to ensure optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the public. They are satisfied that a comprehensive policing service continues to be delivered and that current structures in place meet the requirement to deliver an effective and efficient policing service to the community. This situation will of course be kept under ongoing review.

It is the policy of An Garda Síochána to obtain a full written account from all witnesses as soon as practicable following the commission of crime and this policy continues to be implemented in Donegal Division.

Specifically in relation to the incident referred to by the Deputy, the member in question accepted a lift from the member of the public who called to the station, conducted his enquiries and returned to his station on foot, as the scene of the incident is approximately 700 metres from the Garda Station.

While a policing service may not always be provided in the same way as it was in the past, it is no less effective and the commitment of An Garda Síochána to the community is not diminished. An Garda Síochána can never over-emphasise the importance of the partnership between An Garda Síochána and the community in preventing and detecting crime and maintaining a safe environment for everyone and the pledge of An Garda Síochána is to continue to invest time and energy in those partnerships and relationships to the benefit of all.