Written answers

Thursday, 17 February 2022

Department of Justice and Equality

Crime Prevention

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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108. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to increase Garda numbers in Cork given the recent attacks on women in the city and county. [8725/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Violent crime, including domestic, sexual and gender based violence, can never be tolerated. Such crimes are terrifying both for the victim themselves and the entire community. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible community policing right across Ireland, in both rural and urban areas.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the general management and administration of the Garda organisation under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This includes the deployment of Garda members throughout the State. I am assured that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use. I understand that it is a matter for the Divisional Chief Superintendent to determine the optimum distribution of duties among the personnel available to them, having regard to the profile of each area within the Division and its specific needs. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation in excess of €2 billion for 2022, which includes funding for the recruitment of up to 800 additional Garda trainees and 400 Garda staff. This significant investment demonstrates the Government's commitment to increasing the Garda workforce to enable the organisation to keep our communities safe, including in Cork city, and to preventing crime in all its forms. The Deputy will be aware that a new Garda recruitment campaign commenced last week and I would encourage anyone with an interest in joining An Garda Síochána to apply.

I can inform the Deputy that as at 31 January 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, there are 734 Garda members assigned to Cork City Garda Division, an increase of 12.7% per cent since the end of 2015, when there were 651 Gardaí assigned to that Division. In addition there are 120 civilian Garda staff, an increase of approximately 103% since the end of 2015, when there 59 civilian Garda staff assigned to the Division.

Photo of Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorJennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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109. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if new initiatives will be taken to combat rural crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8557/22]

Photo of James BrowneJames Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible community policing right across both rural and urban Ireland.

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 detecting crime. As Minister of State, I have no direct role in these matters.

This year’s winter phase of Operation Thor was launched by Gardaí in October 2021 and is designed to tackle burglaries and associated criminal activities, which often increase in the darker winter months, through targeted enforcement and crime prevention activity and information.

This annual focus from Operation Thor has proved highly successful in tackling property related crime since its inception in November 2015. In 2015, there were in excess of 18,800 residential burglaries reported. By contrast, to the end of 2021 there were just over 6,000 residential burglaries reported, a reduction of over 66% or approximately 13,000 less residential burglaries.

While the COVID-19 pandemic was clearly a factor in some of this reduction, with people more likely to be present in their homes throughout the day, there has been a marked and consistent downward trend in such offences since the introduction of this Garda focus through Operation Thor.

The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation in excess of €2 billion for 2022, including funding for the recruitment of up to 800 additional Garda trainees and up to 400 Garda staff. This significant investment demonstrates the Government's commitment to increasing the Garda workforce to enable the organisation to keep our communities safe. To this end, the Deputy will be aware that a new Garda recruitment competition opened last week and I would encourage anyone with an interest in a career in An Garda Síochána to apply.

In addition to new recruits, the rollout of the new Garda Operating Model will support the redeployment of Gardaí from non-core duties to frontline policing across the country. The new model will see larger Divisions with more resources, increased Garda visibility in communities, a wider range of locally delivered policing services, and a strong focus on community policing.

Budget 2022 also allocated €12m for investment in the Garda fleet, which means more high visibility policing in our towns and cities. This continuing investment is intended to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet and that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.

My Department has for many years provided funding for the employment and associated costs of the national Community Alert Programme, including the employment of regional Development Officers. In 2021, my Department committed in the region of €150,000 to local communities who wish to apply for a rebate towards the costs associated with running their local Text Alert Scheme, which is administered by Muintir na Tíre. This is a continuation of the annual funding made available by the Department for the Text Alert Rebate scheme each year since 2016.

As the Deputy is aware, while community policing is a central feature of An Garda Síochána and that is reinforced in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, that report also highlighted that policing and crime prevention are not the responsibility of An Garda Síochána and my Department alone.

To achieve better outcomes, supported by a strong inter-agency collaboration and community engagement, three pilot Local Community Safety Partnerships have been established. These 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.

In addition, my Department will launch the Community Safety Innovation Fund in the coming weeks, which will enable local communities to seek funding for innovative projects which will improve community safety in their areas.

Finally, the Deputy may also be aware that the Department of Rural and Community Development funds the Senior Alert Scheme, which provides grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms for persons aged 65 or older and of limited means. The objective of the Seniors Alert Scheme is to encourage community support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. I am advised that the grant assistance is made available through community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations that are registered with Pobal.

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