Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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72. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the increasing civilianisation of Garda staffing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34028/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to increasing Garda staff to 4,000.

The purpose of this policy is, in part, to allow for the redeployment of highly skilled professional Gardaí from administrative to front-line policing roles. As far as possible, Garda members should be assigned to posts requiring police powers or experience. Indeed since 2015, almost 900 Garda members have been freed up from back office duties to front line policing because of civilianisation.

Garda staff are an integral part of our police service and they are involved in the provision of a wide range of administrative, professional and technical services. As well as providing clerical support and financial management functions in Garda stations and offices across the country, civilian staff carry out a range of specialised support roles.

Accounting for about 18% of the overall Garda workforce, there are currently 3,127 full-time Garda staff undertaking administrative and technical duties within An Garda Síochána an increase of more than 50% since 2015.

Budget 2023 provides for over 400 Garda staff and up to 1,000 new Garda trainees to be recruited this year. These extra staff will allow for a further freeing up of Gardaí for frontline duties, and enhance the capacity of the organisation through the recruitment of staff to specialist and other positions to support the investigation of crime and the management and development of the organisation.

The importance of Garda staff as a key part of An Garda Síochána was fully recognised by the Commission on the Future of Policing. The continued implementation of the Commission’s recommendations is transforming how policing services are delivered in Ireland and will deliver a professional, modern and effective police service that is well-managed, efficient and cost effective.

Most importantly, local front-line policing will be placed at the core of our police service, ensuring that Gardaí are more visible in communities. In delivering on this, civilianisation is one of the priority projects being progressed by An Garda Síochána in line with targets set out under ‘A Policing Service for the Future’.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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74. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community policing teams and the number of gardaí in each team in counties Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo and Longford. [33979/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Community policing is fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and currently being rolled out under 'A Policing Service for Our Future', the Government's implementation plan for the Commission's recommendations.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the distribution and stationing of Garda members throughout the State, including to specialist units within the organisation. As Minister, I have no role in these independent, operational functions.

I am assured that the Garda Commissioner keeps the allocation of resources under continued review to ensure their optimum use. This takes into account factors including crime trends, operational strategies and local population figures.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that member is allocated to a Community Policing Team (CPT) and is responsible and accountable for applying a problem–solving approach to appropriate crime and policing quality of life issues in a specified geographic area through partnership and engagement.

I am also advised that in some rural areas, the existing personnel will form CPTs. They will have dual functions as first responders and community policing members. Additionally, CPTs will be augmented by Community Support Gardaí who will perform frontline duties and will be assigned a particular Community Policing Area to support dedicated Community Gardaí.

I understand that each Division will have a number of CPTs assigned to it, consisting of an Inspector, Sergeant and Community Policing Gardaí. CPTs will prioritise engagement with communities for the delivery of long-term sustainable solutions to community needs.

It is important to say that these changes are being introduced at a time of record investment in An Garda Síochána. The Government remains committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to keep communities safe, evidenced by the unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion in Budget 2023.

The Deputy will be interested to know that, as of 31 May, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 670 Community Gardaí across the country.

As of the same date, figures in respect of the number of Community Gardaí assigned to Longford/Westmeath, Sligo/Leitrim, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon/Galway East, Roscommon/Longford Divisions are provided in the attached table.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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At the outset I would like to assure the Deputy that tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity, including by organised crime groups, is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and this Government.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management of Garda resources, including the assignment of Garda members to a given area or specialised unit.

Similarly, the Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering organised criminal activity, and the enforcement of legislation pertaining to illegal drugs. As Minister, I have no direct role in these operational, policing matters.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) continues to have 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. The Bureau also works in cooperation with international law enforcement partners.

An Garda Síochána continues to target those involved in street-level dealing across the country and also focuses on disrupting and dismantling the drug trafficking networks that impact on our communities and prosecuting those involved at every level through Operation Tara. Some recent successes of Operation Tara include the seizure last week of cigarettes with an estimated value of €10 million with a loss to the Exchequer of €7.5 million. Last month, also through Operation Tara, Gardaí arrested a man following the seizure of over €1.5 million in cocaine and cash in Dublin and Meath.

I am sure the Deputy will agree, it is important that communities work together with An Garda Síochána in relation to such behaviour. Reporting by the public of illegal activity, including drug dealing or intimidation, is important to assist in this work and there are a range of channels to do so, including through the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. I encourage anyone with information in that regard to contact An Garda Síochána in this way.

The Deputy may also wish to know that the Garda Commissioner has tasked an Inspector in every Garda Division to respond to the issue of drug-related intimidation. There are currently 30 nominated Garda Inspectors appointed to act as liaison officers for the Drug-Related Intimidation Reporting Programme, covering each Garda Division.