Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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19. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the plans in place to increase garda numbers on the streets of rural towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24652/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to that. Since 2015, the Government has increased the budget of An Garda Síochána by approximately €672m, or 46%. This has allowed for sustained and ongoing recruitment.

The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including recruitment, training and deployment of Gardaí.

The Government has provided funding for up to 1,000 new Gardaí this year and we are seeing more Garda recruits enter Templemore approximately every 11 weeks.

Coupled with further reassignments of Gardaí to operational frontline policing and the continued roll-out of the new Operating Model with its core focus on community policing, I am confident that the Commissioner has resources and plans in place to continue to deliver on An Garda Síochána's mission of Keeping People Safe.

But rural safety is not just about the number of Gardaí.

One very exciting initiative which is underway this week is National Community Engagement Week which is a series of events all over the country.

Over the course of this week hundreds of communities, from all across the country have the opportunity to meet with their local Gardaí and community representatives to discuss matters of importance to them such as rural safety, crime prevention and security.

The initiative is organised by the National Rural Safety Forum, of which my Department is a member. The Forum is the result of strong collaboration between An Garda Síochána, Government Departments, and other relevant organisations, with a shared focus on community safety in rural areas.

Last year, the Forum published the National Rural Safety Plan 2022-2024 which brings together the excellent work already underway in relation to rural safety.