Written answers

Tuesday, 22 March 2016

Department of Justice and Equality

Crime Levels

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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254. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is aware of the continued concern of the local community at the increased crime levels in County Tipperary; her views on providing additional resources to deal with this situation, including the urgency of installing closed circuit television monitoring in the areas that have high levels of criminal activity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4998/16]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will recall from my meeting with community representatives from Tipperary in December 2015, I am very much aware of the impact of crime on communities in Tipperary and in other areas of the country. The Deputy will also appreciate that the allocation of Garda resources to particular areas is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the first instance.

The Government has developed a carefully considered strategy to tackle crime, in particular domestic burglary, which has strengthened the law and provided very significant investments to augment the capacity of An Garda Síochána to enforce the law effectively.

I made it a particular priority to strengthen our legislative provisions through the enactment of the Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Act2015 which is targeted at repeat burglars who have previous convictions and who are charged with multiple offences of residential burglary. I am very pleased that this new legislation is now available to support the concerted drive against crime which is being carried out by An Garda Síochána under Operation Thor.

While it will take some time to properly assess its impact on crime, the Garda authorities have reported very positive operational feedback since the launch of Operation Thor on 2 November 2015. This is underlined by a significant series of arrests in various locations around the country and charges being brought against numerous individuals. Operation Thor has led to the arrest of particular target suspects in relation to burglary, as well as handling stolen property, possession of firearms and drugs offences, and including arrests connected to crimes committed by mobile criminal groups. There has been concentrated nationwide Garda activity under Operation Thor, including 16,339 anti-crime patrols,19,851 targeted checkpoints and 1,069 burglary related arrests. The early indications from the Garda authorities are that, in the period from 2 November 2015 to 5 March 2016 Operation Thor has led to an estimated decrease in burglary of in the order of 35% when compared to the same period the previous year. The Garda crime figures will of course be subject to further analysis and verification by the Central Statistics Office in due course.

Operation Thor delivers on increased investment in policing by this Government and marks a significant step-up in the Garda response to burglaries and related crime. In excess of €5 million is being specifically committed to support Operation Thor and includes funding for Garda overtime which will support a combination of additional patrols, checkpoints, rapid armed response and public awareness measures. Furthermore, since 2012, an overall amount of €34 million has been invested in the Garda fleet, with over 640 new vehicles coming on stream in 2015. This significant investment provides the Gardaí with additional high-powered vehicles, marked and unmarked patrol cars, and motorcycles for high-visibility road policing which will support important anti-crime strategies such as Operation Thor. Investment in a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose Garda fleet will continue under the Government’s Capital Plan 2016-2021 which provides €46 million for new Garda vehicles, ensuring that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community. The Government is also investing in Garda airborne surveillance and enhanced technology and ICT systems. In fact, the Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides an additional €205 million for Garda ICT over the lifetime of the Plan.

The Government has also ended the moratorium on Garda recruitment and there is provision for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí this year, bringing to 1,150 the number of new Gardaí who will have been recruited since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014.

Garda CCTV systems are installed to support crime prevention and as aids to policing. Decisions in relation to the introduction or extension of these Garda systems are a matter for the Commissioner. The Garda authorities inform me that they keep the current Garda CCTV arrangements under ongoing review in the context of changing operational requirements.

I am conscious, however, of the value that communities place on CCTV and with this in mind, I have instigated a review of the effectiveness of the Community CCTV Scheme in conjunction with the Garda authorities. The outcome of that review will inform future decisions on the continuation of the Scheme. The Deputy may also be aware that my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, has announced funding from the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 in relation the provision of CCTV in rural areas.

In conclusion, I can assure the Deputy that I remain in close contact with the Garda Commissioner with a view to ensuring that we continue to build on the early successes of Operation Thor and that communities in Tipperary and all other areas of the country benefit from the improved legislation and increased investments in policing which the Government has put in place.

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