Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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312. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality The number of members of An Garda Síochána serving in the Fermoy district of County Cork in each of the years 2010 to date; the level of urban and rural crime in this area; how she will address this crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43961/15]

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 among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts.

In regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and as the policing needs of each individual Division dictates. It is the responsibility of the Divisional Officer to allocate personnel within his/her Division.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that Fermoy District forms part of the Cork North Garda Division and that as of the 31 October 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were a total of 298 members assigned to the Division. Of these 85 members are attached to Fermoy District supported by 7 Garda Reserves and 7 civilians. The following table sets out the Garda strength in the Fermoy District on the 31 December 2010 - 2014 and on the 31 October 2015.

The 2016 Budget allocation of €1.5 billion for An Garda Síochána includes over €67 million in additional funding which will, in addition to the recruitment of new trainee Gardaí, also provide additional funding for Garda Surveillance, special operations and targeted, intelligence-led policing. This additional recruitment and budget allocation builds on the current high level of investment in Garda vehicles. We have invested over €34 million in new Garda vehicles since 2012 with over 640 new vehicles coming on stream in 2015, ranging from more Garda patrol cars to high-powered vehicles for armed units. The Government's Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides for a further €46 million of investment in vehicles as well as an additional €200 million for Information and Communications Technology which will allow An Garda Síochána to deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in the fight against crime. We are also investing in airborne surveillance. Taken together, this step-change in investment in policing will ensure that the Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community.

The recently announced Operation Thor builds on previous and current Garda operations to tackle crime, particularly burglaries the number of which, as we know, increase with the advent of the long winter nights, in both urban and rural communities nationwide. In excess of €5 million is being committed to support Operation Thor which entails a broad range of activities to tackle burglars, organised crime gangs and prolific offenders as well as working with communities to prevent crime. These activities include: additional high-visibility patrols in identified burglary hot-spots; increased use of checkpoints to tackle the criminal gangs using the national road network; the use of new high powered vehicles by the armed Regional Response Units; efforts to disrupt the stolen goods market; programmes to help reduce re-offending by prolific offenders; a high-profile national crime prevention awareness campaign, and targeted crime prevention advice for local communities and enhanced supports for victims.

I am confident that this comprehensive operation by An Garda Síochána, supported by Government investment in Garda resources and personnel, will disrupt the activities of burglars, organised crime gangs and prolific offenders and will improve the safety of all our communities across the country.