Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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512. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the Garda personnel attached to Áras an Uachtarán are based at Cabra Garda station, Navan Road, Dublin 7; if she will provide replacement gardaí in Cabra for those working on Áras security; if she will consider using Reserve gardaí or members of the Defence Forces from the local McKee Barracks for Áras duty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41375/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, one of the primary functions of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Acts, is to direct and control An Garda Síochána. In this regard, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of all resources, including fully sworn members and Reserve Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of security assessments, crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

Where necessary, the Garda Síochána are assisted in carrying out certain specific duties by members of the Defence Forces, in fulfilment of the role assigned to the Defence Forces to provide aid to the civil power. Outside of these areas of aid to the civil power, the distinction between the policing function of the Garda Síochána and the military function of the Defence Forces is an important one and I have no proposals for deployments along the lines referred to by the Deputy.