Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which deployment of extra gardaí is positively impacting on crime levels in all areas throughout Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51934/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of €1.952 billion for 2021. Budget 2022 provides over €2 billion in funding. Since 2016, the budget for An Garda Síochána has increased by approximately €500m, or 33%. This has enabled 1400 extra Gardaí to be deployed, as well as continued investment in modern equipment. In addition, we have freed up 800 Gardaí for front line policing work through the recruitment of Garda staff. 

As the Deputy may be aware, Covid-19 restrictions on the Garda Training College in Templemore constrained recruitment and training for periods over the last 18 months. However, I am glad to confirm that 450 Gardaí will be recruited this year and the funding provided for next year fully supports the sustained recruitment of Garda members and staff.

In particular, the funding announced last week includes provision for the recruitment of 800 new Garda recruits and 400 Garda staff in 2022 - an additional 1,200 personnel. This increase in the number of Garda members and staff will deliver significant growth in operational policing hours nationwide and improved services to the public generally.  Redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and support roles will also continue next year, thus allowing highly trained Gardaí to focus on frontline policing duties.  The organisation's capacity will be further strengthened by the recruitment of additional Garda staff, including to specialist roles to support the investigation of crime and enhance the management of the organisation .

As the Deputy will be aware, by law the detection of and response to any criminal activity is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner, as laid down in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. As Minister, I have no direct role in such matters.

I am assured by the Commissioner that the distribution of resources among the various Garda Divisions across the State is kept under constant review, in light of emerging crime trends and operational needs.

The operational review of crime statistics, at a national and regional level, is also the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Again, I play no role in these independent functions.

The Deputy may be interested to note that the most recent available crime statistics, as published by the CSO on 29 September and covering the 12 months to the end of June 2021, are available on the CSO website.

It should also be noted, as highlighted in the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, that policing and crime prevention are not the responsibility of An Garda Síochána alone. Improving community safety requires a multi-sectoral approach, strong inter-agency collaboration and engagement from the community. To achieve this, three pilot Local Community Safety Partnerships have been established, before being rolled out nationwide with the anticipated enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. The partnerships will replace and expand the remit of the Joint Policing Committees by providing a forum for residents and community representatives, including representatives of youth, new communities and the voluntary sector and business and education representatives, along with the relevant State agencies, such as An Garda Síochána, the HSE, Tusla and others.

The Local Community Safety Partnerships will provide a dedicated communication channel for input and the development of Local Community Safety Plans to reflect and respond to the self-identified needs of that community.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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272. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the areas throughout Ireland currently experiencing the highest and the lowest crime levels by each Garda divisional district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51935/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the detection of and response to any criminal activity is an operational function for the Garda Commissioner, as per the Garda Síochána Act 2005. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

The operational review of crime statistics, at a national and regional level, is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Again, I play no role in these independent functions.

As the Deputy will also be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is Ireland's national statistical office and its purpose is to impartially collect, analyse and make available statistics about Ireland’s population, society and economy. Their specific mandate under the Statistics Act 1993 is the collection, compilation, extraction and dissemination for statistical purposes of information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions in the State.

The Deputy may be interested to note that the most recent available crime statistics, as published by the CSO on 29 September and covering the 12 months to the end of June 2021, are available on the CSO website www.cso.ie. The recorded crime statistics show crime trends in each Garda region, division and station. 

The most recent statistics show welcome continued decreases in property and other types of crime nationwide. Burglary was down 37.2% nationwide compared to the previous 12 month period, while Robbery was down 20.7% and theft was down 22%. I also noted that Reported fraud offences have increased by 40.6% across the country in the period, and the number of Sexual offences recorded during Q2 2021 has increased by 7.5%.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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273. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the degree to which an Garda Síochána continues to combat the activities of criminal gangs and the membership of such gangs; if membership of criminal gangs is noted in the course of criminal cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51936/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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278. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which members of criminal gangs have been successfully prosecuted in each of the past five years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51941/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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285. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which an Garda Síochána continues to pursue gangs and individuals involved in drug running: the number of successfully prosecuted cases in each of the past six years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51948/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 273, 278 and 285 together.

The continued disruption of the supply of all illicit drugs remains a priority for An Garda Síochána and the other state agencies tasked with responsibilities in this regard. A concerted effort has been made over the past year to ensure that the detection and prevention of these types of criminal activity have not been adversely affected by the unprecedented demands placed on policing services by the vital enforcement of public health restrictions. 

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity, and the enforcement of legislation pertaining to illegal drugs. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) is having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs by organised crime groups. The Bureau’s work is supported by Divisional Drugs Units nationwide, and by all Gardaí working in local communities. GNDOCB also works closely and productively with international law enforcement partners. Gardaí continue to work closely with local authorities, HSE, NGOs, community groups and other state agencies to tackle the problems of drug addiction and abuse.

The Deputy may be aware that the Department of Health leads on Government policy in the area of drugs, and this policy is guided by the national drugs and alcohol strategy "Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025". This strategy represents a whole-of-Government response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. The implementation of the strategy is led by my colleague, the Minister for Health, however the strategy includes actions for all stakeholders, including my Department and An Garda Síochána.  

The strategy recognises the need for a balanced health-led approach - reducing demand, while also reducing access to illegal drugs, and is aimed at reducing the number of people criminalised for the possession of drugs for personal use. While this strategy supports the vulnerable people who use drugs, it is also matched with strengthened enforcement measures across government to tackle the supply of illegal drugs. Sustained action by An Garda Síochána has continued unabated throughout the current pandemic, bringing significant convictions and ongoing seizures of drugs, firearms and ammunition.

I can inform the Deputy that on 2 July 2021, An Garda Síochána commenced an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, Operation Tara, which has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing throughout rural and urban Ireland. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels - international, national and local - involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs. Recent successes of Operation Tara include the seizure of an estimated €1.18 million worth of cannabis in Kilkenny on 7 October 2021, and €100,000 worth of cannabis herb in Allenwood, Co. Kildare on 9 October.

I am informed by the Courts Service that statistics relating to drug convictions, broken down by District and Circuit Court cases, are published each year in the Courts Service’s annual report and can be found on the Courts Service website at www.courts.ie/annual-report.

I am further informed that membership of criminal gangs is not noted by the Courts Service during the course of criminal cases.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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274. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which she anticipates an increase in the strength of An Garda Síochána to directly benefit all regions throughout Ireland without exception; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51937/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased that Budget 2022 reflects the commitment of the Government to ensuring our communities are safe and that An Garda Síochána has the resources to be an effective and trusted policing service.

The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of €1.952 billion for 2021. Budget 2022 provides over €2 billion in funding. Since 2016 the budget for An Garda Síochána has increased by €500m, or 33%. This has enabled 1,400 extra Gardaí to be deployed, as well as continued investment in modern equipment. In addition, we have freed up 800 Gardaí for front line policing work through the recruitment of Garda staff. 

As the Deputy may be aware, Covid-19 restrictions on the Garda Training College in Templemore constrained recruitment and training for periods over the last 18 months. However, I am glad to confirm that 450 Gardaí will be recruited this year and the funding provided for next year fully supports the sustained recruitment of Garda members and staff.

In particular, the funding announced last week includes provision for the recruitment of 800 new Garda recruits and 400 Garda staff in 2022 - an additional 1,200 personnel. This increase in the number of Garda members and staff will deliver significant growth in operational policing hours nationwide and improved services to the public generally. Redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and support roles will also continue next year, thus allowing highly trained Gardaí to focus on frontline policing duties. The organisation's capacity will be further strengthened by the recruitment of additional Garda staff, including to specialist roles to support the investigation of crime and enhance the management of the organisation.

Each Garda Division will of course have its own particular requirements in terms of crime trends and other community policing needs. The response to these needs and the deployment or resources is a strictly operational matter for the Garda authorities, in consultation with local Garda management and in view of the resources available. As the Deputy will appreciate, I have no direct role in such matters.

I am assured by the Garda authorities however that the distribution of resources among the various Garda Divisions across the State is kept under constant review, in light of emerging crime trends and operational needs.