Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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21. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been a mid-term review of the Garda reform process to establish effectiveness and organisational buy-in; if there are upward communication channels in place to allow information and concerns to reach the decision makers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35742/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland report are currently being implemented in line with A Policing Service for our Future(APSFF). APSFF is a living document which is reviewed and updated, as required, to maintain ambitious but realistic commitments, timeframes and milestones.

The Policing Reform Implementation Programme Office (PRIPO), which is based in the Department of the Taoiseach, monitors progress on APSFF, supports the work of the Implementation Group on Policing Reform (IGPR), and keeps the High-Level Steering Board on Policing Reform and Government apprised of progress being made.

While impacted as a result of the COVID-19, I can inform the Deputy that significant progress has been made on delivering on this very ambitious reform programme.

I understand that the Deputy is specifically seeking information around the new Garda Operating Model. This is one of the key APSFF projects and involves the transitioning into a new and modern Operating Model that seeks to reflect and address the realities of modern-day policing and to increase community engagement and access to a wider range of specialist services across the country.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the rollout of the Operating Model is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister for Justice, have no role in such matters.

The Operating Model will result a reduction in the number of Garda Divisions from the current 28 to 19 with a move to larger Divisions that have the critical mass to provide an effective and efficient policing service to the public. I am advised by the Garda authorities that over 1,000 Garda personnel have been involved in the design and implementation of the Operating Model this year.

Each of the 19 Divisions will be comprised of four functional areas: community engagement, area crime, performance assurance and business service. I am pleased to see that the business service functional area has been fully implemented in a number of Divisions and good progress is being made on the performance assurance function.

Each of the functional areas will be led by a Superintendent, with the exception of business services which is led by an Assistant Principal. All services will be managed and coordinated at divisional as opposed to district level. All Garda stations will be aligned to the community engagement functional areas. Garda members and staff will continue to be geographically dispersed across the Division.

I am advised that to support Divisional implementation, a number of communication activities have been completed, including the publication of articles internally, operating model bulletins, divisional briefings and circulated communications materials and engagement with national staff associations and unions. In addition, there is a dedicated page on the internal Garda portal which includes relevant contact details for those seeking further information. All avenues provide for feedback and two-way communications on the project.

I am also advised that a Divisional Change Team has been established in each division currently rolling out the Operating Model. One of the key functions of this team is to provide for dedicated personnel with additional information to provide support and act as a point of reference locally. They are responsible for supporting and communicating to their peers as well as ensuring feedback is passed back up to local management and to sharing feedback from the Divisions with the national project team.

Furthermore, once services have been completely stood up within a Division, an evaluation is conducted, which includes consultation with frontline members.

I am confident that the continuing phased rollout of the new Garda Operating Model will greatly benefit the Garda organisation, supporting the redeployment of Gardaí from non-core duties to frontline policing across the country, creating 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. The model will also facilitate more effective streamlining of administrative processes and reduce bureaucracy.