Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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51. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will include protection from domestic violence as a named priority in all policing plans. [21156/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The levels of service to be provided by the Garda Síochána are set out each year in the annual policing plan. The independent Policing Authority is required under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, to determine priorities and targets for An Garda Síochána in performing its functions relating to policing services. As the Deputy will appreciate, I, as Minister, have no direct role in the development of the plan. The Garda Síochána Policing Plan is prepared by the Garda Commissioner having regard to the priorities set by the Policing Authority, the current Garda Strategy Statement; resources available to An Garda Síochána and the proposed allocation of those resources; and the policing principles. In accordance with the Act, the Garda Commissioner will submit to the Policing Authority, before the month of November, a draft plan for approval for the following year.

The Deputy may be pleased to note, however, that domestic violence is a named priority in the 2017 Policing Plan which underscores a focus on supporting victims of sexual crime and domestic violence in line with the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021. The Policing Plan is available on both www.garda.ieand www.policingauthority.ieand was laid before the Oireachtas in January.