Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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1144. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will discuss with the Garda Commissioner the challenges being faced by gardaí in Tallaght, Dublin 24 in respect of constant antisocial behaviour and attacks on Dublin Bus services in Tallaght west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2075/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes all operational policing matters. The Commissioner is also responsible for the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State under the provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). As Minister I have no role in these independent functions.

While the Commissioner is operationally responsible, I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the resources needed to keep communities safe.

Budget 2023 provides funding of €2.14 billion for An Garda Síochána, which included a €5m increase in the overtime budget for An Garda Síochána to over €100m, supporting high visibility policing to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

I condemn, in the strongest possible way any incidents that not only injure the victims but communities as a whole. We are all immensely grateful to public transport staff up and down the country, all of whom should be able to go to work without being exposed to threats to their safety or any other form of unacceptable behaviour from any passenger.

There are a number of tools at the disposal of the Garda Commissioner to respond to criminal behaviour on public transport and I am advised that Garda management engages extensively with transport operators to provide a high visibility presence through a coordinated approach.

I understand that since October 2022 to date, additional Garda patrols have been undertaken in the West Tallaght area in particular as part of ‘Operation Saul’. Operation Saul is implemented across the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) with the aim of keeping people safe on public transport services.

I also understand that the Assistant Commissioner, DMR met with the CEO of Dublin Bus and senior management to provide reassurance that the Garda Síochána will continue to provide a proactive response in support of Dublin Bus and other transport operators in the West Tallaght area.

I want to make it very clear that criminality on public transport will not be tolerated. People must be able to travel throughout Dublin, and indeed all of our communities across the country, and to commute to and from work in comfort and safety.