Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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369. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which adequate juvenile liaison officers are available throughout each Garda division and district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42824/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána including decisions on the deployment of personnel.  I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.  Garda management keeps this deployment under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of available resources.

I am advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in implementing the Garda Diversion Programme.  Their role includes the administration of formal and informal cautions as well as appropriate supervision of children who have been admitted to the Diversion Programme, as provided in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001.

The Deputy will be aware that, as of 16 March 2020, a contingency roster was introduced into An Garda Síochána because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  I am informed by the Garda authorities that with the introduction of the contingency roster, Community Policing and JLO members have been allocated to regular units on a temporary basis to aid frontline policing during the pandemic.  It should be noted that Community Policing duties were and are being conducted by members attached to the regular units.  I am informed that these members will be returned to Community Policing and JLO duties in the near future and that while this contingency roster is in effect, JLOs are still performing their JLO duties.

General information on the Garda workforce is available on my Department's website at the following link .