Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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98. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the Policing Authority will complete its review of the boundaries of Garda districts and Garda stations in rural areas and in the developing urban and suburban areas to ensure an efficient and optimum geographical distribution of stations and minimal response times; and the date on which the review was commenced. [18655/17]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations will commence. [18656/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together.

The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government commits the Government to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. A cornerstone of this commitment is the Government plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. Revisiting the decisions made to close Garda stations is also part of that commitment.

In this context, I have requested the Garda Commissioner, while fully cognisant of her statutory functions, to identify 6 stations for reopening on a pilot basis to determine possible positive impacts that such openings will have on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order. I understand that work is continuing in An Garda Síochána to identify the 6 stations for inclusion in the pilot and that consultations have taken place with relevant stakeholders, including the Policing Authority. I am sure that the Deputy would agree that a comprehensive and evidenced-based analysis should be carried out, taking account of all the relevant factors, before a final decision is made in respect of the stations to be reopened by the Commissioner. I expect to receive a report from the Commissioner by the end of May in connection with the exercise.

This pilot will feed into the wider review being undertaken by the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, at the request of the Policing Authority, of the dispersal and use of resources available to An Garda Síochána in the delivery of policing services to local communities. I understand that the Authority has informed the Inspectorate that the review should take account of:

- the changing environments in rural, developing urban and suburban areas;

- the views of local communities;

- the allocation to and deployment of Garda resources at the local policing level, including the use of the Garda Reserve, Garda facilities and Garda equipment; and

- relevant recommendations made in previous Inspectorate reports.

I am informed that the review should be completed within the first half of 2018 and I look forward to receiving the report from the Authority in due course.