Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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255. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when appropriate funding and resources will be made available to An Garda Síochána for Caherciveen, County Kerry. [26618/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including responsibility for the distribution of Garda funding and resources, including personnel, among the various Garda divisions.  I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.

There has been very significant investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years.  I understand that 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.

I am informed by the Commissioner that 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 the policing needs of each individual Garda Division. It is the responsibility of the Divisional Officer to allocate personnel within his/her Division, which ensures local Garda management has the flexibility to deploy Garda resources to meet operational needs and address critical issues as they arise taking account of, amongst other factors, the incidence of crime and crime trends in each District in the Division.

As the Deputy will be aware Caherciveen forms part of the Killarney Garda District.  

I am advised that Caherciveen Garda Station operates on a 24-hour basis, during which it is open to the public from 9am to 5pm Monday to Sunday.

I am informed that on 30 April 2018, the latest date for which information is readily available the strength of the District was 107, including one Superintendent District officer based in District Headquarters, in Killarney Garda Station, and 18 Gardaí assigned to Caherciveen Garda Station

When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

The Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet, to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet.  This is in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015.  Indeed in the period 2013 to the end of 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream in that period to assist Gardaí in being mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.

I am informed that there are currently 2 Garda vehicles attached to Caherciveen Garda Station.  I understand from the Garda authorities that the Southern Region is to be allocated 30 Garda vehicles in 2018, with 5 of these vehicles intended to be allocated to the Kerry Division.

I can assure the Deputy that this Government is committed 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. To achieve this the Government has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. We are making real, tangible progress on achieving this goal.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. Undoubtedly, the ongoing recruitment process will support all Garda activities and enhance visibility within our communities and will enable the Commissioner to provide additional resources across every Garda District, including the Killarney District as new Garda recruits continue to come on stream.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who 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.

I am further informed by the Commissioner that the strength of the Sligo/Leitrim Division on 30 April 2018, the latest date for which information is currently available, was 302 of whom 4 were allocated to the Divisional Drug Unit. There are also 17 Garda Reserves and 31 Garda civilian staff attached to the Sligo/Leitrim Division. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

As the Deputy will be aware all Gardaí have a responsibility in the prevention and detection of criminal activity whether it be in the area of drug offences, crime or otherwise.  I can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána continues to pro-actively and resolutely tackle all forms of drug crime in this jurisdiction.

In 2015 the Commissioner, established a new national Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GDOCB), which brought together the Organised Crime Unit and the Garda National Drug Unit so as to create a robust entity to effectively tackle drugs and organised crime, as it currently exists in this country.

The GDOCB leads out the policing strategy for tackling drugs by demand reduction and supply reduction strategies. In this regard the Bureau continues its policy of working with Garda Divisional Drug Units nationwide in tackling supply reduction at local level. This work is further supported by other national units, including the Criminal Assets Bureau, in targeting persons involved in the illicit sale and supply of drugs. I am informed that this approach allows for the co-ordinated use of Garda resources in tackling all forms of organised crime, including illicit drug activity nationwide.

We have also seen unprecedented international cooperation between An Garda Síochána and policing services in other jurisdictions leading to important arrests and drug seizures.

Underpinning all these measures is this Government’s commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. I am further informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, just over 1,960 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. I am pleased to say that Garda numbers, taking account of retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 – a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána.  We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources he needs to allow him to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across the organisation including the Divisional Drugs Units.

I have requested from the Garda Commissioner the specific information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of vehicles  and I will write to him on receipt of same.