Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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240. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new gardaí who will graduate from Templemore in the next round of graduates; if these new gardaí will be assigned to community garda duties to ensure that there is a more visible Garda Síochána presence on the ground in communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27209/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including community Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

I understand that the next attestation of 99 new Probationer Gardaí is scheduled for later this month. On attestation, these new Probationer Gardaí will be assigned to Garda stations throughout the country, where they will be allocated to mainstream uniform policing duties, and the needs of all Garda Divisions will be fully considered as part of this process.

It is, of course, the case that all Gardaí have a role to play in addressing community policing issues as and when the need arises. In that sense, community policing involves far more than a single unit within the Garda Síochána, a point highlighted by the Garda Inspectorate in their third report entitled "Policing in Ireland—Looking Forward" in which they stated that community policing is a fundamental policing philosophy and that there is a strong foundation for it in Ireland.

The Garda Síochána now operates a new model of Community Policing which aims to build upon and enhance progress made so far. The model is about renewing, reinvigorating and restructuring the community policing function within An Garda Síochána to deliver a consistent national structure to the community policing function, a more co-ordinated and efficient Garda service to the community and a spread of good practice and quality of service in community policing on a national basis.