Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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491. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce an armed support unit to the Cavan-Monaghan Garda division; the location of the closest unit at present; his plans to introduce a unit in the Border region due to Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35452/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.

The Armed Support Units (ASU) are an overt armed support service established in each Garda Region, most recently in the DMR in December, 2016 and are deployed on a 24/7 basis, providing a high-visibility tactical armed response, including enhanced less lethal capability. Members of the ASUs are highly trained and equipped with a variety of non lethal and lethal weapons and perform high visibility armed checkpoints and patrols throughout their respective Regions. In the event of an armed incident or similar incident, armed Detective members from local District and Divisional units will respond, as will the Regional Armed Support Unit. The support of the Emergency Response Unit is also available when required.

I am advised that in the Northern Region (which encompasses the Cavan/Monaghan Garda Division) ASUs are currently based in Ballyshannon and Dundalk Garda Stations, serving all the Garda Divisions comprising the Northern Region.

The Deputy will also be aware that there is close and ongoing cooperation between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI on all aspects of policing, with a particular focus on combatting security threats and cross-border crime. The Garda Commissioner and the Chief Constable of the PSNI, who are responsible for operational policing cooperation, have repeatedly emphasised the scope and the value of the close and high quality cooperation between the two police services in combating crime, protecting community safety and saving lives. The two police services operate a joint Cross-Border Policing Strategy which has as its aims to improve public safety throughout Ireland, to disrupt criminal activity and to enhance the policing capability of both police services on the island.