Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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102. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to seek further funding for An Garda Síochána personnel and resources in order to address existing imbalances in Garda provision which cannot be accounted for due to necessary operational requirements and crime rates; if her Department has a role in determining forward planning for the targeting of Garda resources taking into account likely demographic changes; if not, if it is her plan to pursue such a role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43813/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Garda Síochána Act, 2005 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of Garda resources, and clearly this process would take into account demographic changes and, more generally, policing trends. Section 20 of the 2005 Act provides that the Minister may, following consultation with the Garda Commissioner, determine and revise priorities for the Garda Síochána in performing its functions under the Act and section 22 of the Act requires the Garda Commissioner each year to prepare a Policing Plan and, in so doing, to have regard inter aliato the priorities determined by the Minister.

The policing priorities I have drawn up for 2015 focus in particular on strengthening the ability of the Gardaí to meet the varying needs of different local communities, supporting the needs of victims of crime, targeting domestic and sexual violence as well as maintaining the fight against serious organised crime and ensuring a more efficient use of Garda personnel and other resources. These priorities also focus strongly on the policing and security elements of the Government's broader programme of criminal justice reform. These priorities have been communicated to the interim Garda Commissioner and will inform the 2015 policing plan which will be submitted to me for approval in the coming weeks before it is laid before the houses of the Oireachtas.

As regards the question of additional funding, it is of course the case that significant additional funding has been provided for the Garda vote in 2015, including to allow for ongoing additional recruitment and procurement of additional Garda vehicles. I have also clearly signalled in recent days my intention to support the Garda Síochána in their efforts to address particular deficits identified in the recent Garda Inspectorate report on crime investigation. However, the Deputy will appreciate that the issues raised in the report are widespread, varied and far-reaching and, when taken together with the review of the Garda Síochána under the Haddington Road agreement, will demand significant structural reform within the Garda Síochána. The issue of additional funding will be addressed within that context. I am working with Minister Howlin to secure the necessary and early investment in upgrading Garda technology to bring outdated paper based practices into the 21st century and I look forward, too, to the significant contribution to this process by the policing authority which is to be established shortly.