John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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549. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí committed to community policing in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29823/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties. Community policing is also fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model which is currently being rolled out across the country, and is fully commenced in thirteen Garda divisions.

The new model will provide more frontline Gardaí and increased Garda visibility, and will deliver a wider range of policing services for people in their local area. It will divide service delivery within divisions into four functional areas, one of the most important areas being Community Engagement. This will allow for a greater, more consistent, focus on community policing in all divisions.

The Garda authorities have advised me that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that person 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. Examples of this engagement are working with Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert, or local business fora.

Community Policing Teams strategically manage and lead the development, delivery and evaluation of the Garda Community Policing Framework. Like most Garda members, those assigned to CPTs have dual functions. In addition to their strategic roles in their Community Policing Teams, part of which requires them to regularly update their Community Engagement Superintendent on the policing needs of their community, they are also frontline members. It is also important to note that CPTs draw on all frontline Gardaí to carry out community policing.

I very much welcome the new interactive map on the Garda website which is designed to allow the public to identify the local CPT in their area. This map will continue to develop in line with the continued roll-out of the new Garda Operating Model.

Budget 2024 provides the highest ever allocation to An Garda Síochána – over €2.35 billion which is a 25% increase since 2020. This funding allows for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that on 31 March 2024, the latest date for when figures are available, there were 707 Community Gardaí assigned to Garda Divisions nationwide, an increase of over 12.5% since the end of December 2023.

For the Deputy's information, the number of Community Gardaí by Division from 2008 until March 2024 is published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Please be advised that this information is operational and may be subject to change.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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550. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the percentage of Garda staffing hours which have been allocated to community policing, by county, over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29824/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties. Community policing is also fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model which is currently being rolled out in all 21 Divisions, and is fully commenced in 14.

The new model will provide more frontline Gardaí and increased Garda visibility, and will deliver a wider range of policing services for people in their local area. It will divide service delivery within divisions into four functional areas, one of the most important areas being Community Engagement. This will allow for a greater, more consistent, focus on community policing in all divisions.

The Garda authorities have advised me that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that person 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. Examples of this engagement are working with Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert, or local business fora.

Community Policing Teams strategically manage and lead the development, delivery and evaluation of the Garda Community Policing Framework. Like most Garda members, those assigned to CPTs have dual functions. In addition to their strategic roles in their Community Policing Teams, part of which requires them to regularly update their Community Engagement Superintendent on the policing needs of their community, they are also frontline members. It is also important to note that CPTs draw on all frontline Gardaí to carry out community policing.

I very much welcome the new interactive map on the Garda website which is designed to allow the public to identify the local CPT in their area. This map will continue to develop in line with the continued roll-out of the new Garda Operating Model.

Budget 2024 provides the highest ever allocation to An Garda Síochána – over €2.35 billion which is a 25% increase since 2020. This funding allows for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to quantify the Community Policing activity or role and the percentage of Garda staffing hours allocated to Community Policing. I am however advised that on 31 March 2024, the latest date for when figures are available, there were 707 Community Gardaí assigned to Garda Divisions nationwide, an increase of over 12.5% since the end of December 2023.

For the Deputy's information, the number of Community Gardaí by Division from 2008 until March 2024 is published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Please be advised that this information is operational and may be subject to change.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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551. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to detail what is understood by her Department and An Garda Síochána as constituting community policing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29826/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties. Community policing is also fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model which is currently being rolled out in all 21 Divisions, and is fully commenced in 14.

The new model will provide more frontline Gardaí and increased Garda visibility, and will deliver a wider range of policing services for people in their local area. It will divide service delivery within divisions into four functional areas, one of the most important areas being Community Engagement. This will allow for a greater, more consistent, focus on community policing in all divisions.

As the Deputy may be aware the Community Policing Framework was introduced by the Garda Commissioner in 2020. In developing the Framework, An Garda Síochána engaged with key stakeholders, internal and external, to identify the policing requirements of communities.

An Garda Síochána listened to the guidance from their oversight agencies and carefully considered the recommendations contained in relevant reports on delivery of a community policing service (Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland’s report, ‘The Future of Policing in Ireland, 2018’; Garda Síochána Inspectorate Report, ‘Crime Investigation, 2014’ and ‘Policing with Local Communities 2018’; and the KC Consulting Report on Community Policing 2017).

The Framework is accompanied by Community Policing Framework Guidelines for each and every member of An Garda Síochána and Garda staff. The guidelines provide An Garda Síochána with key principles that must be adhered to in order to deliver an effective community policing service, responsive to the needs of a modern and diverse community.

As defined in the guidelines, 'Community Policing' is the provision of a policing service to the whole community, both urban and rural, through a partnership-based, proactive, problem-solving style of policing. It is focused on community engagement, crime prevention and law enforcement and addresses crime and policing quality of life issues affecting communities.

The Garda authorities have advised me that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that person 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. Examples of this engagement are working with Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert, or local business fora.

Community Policing Teams strategically manage and lead the development, delivery and evaluation of the Garda Community Policing Framework. Like most Garda members, those assigned to CPTs have dual functions. In addition to their strategic roles in their Community Policing Teams, part of which requires them to regularly update their Community Engagement Superintendent on the policing needs of their community, they are also frontline members. It is also important to note that CPTs draw on all frontline Gardaí to carry out community policing.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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552. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the strength levels of the Garda drug squad over the past five years, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29827/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Tackling serious and organised crime is a key priority for me as Minister for Justice, and I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe.

The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda Síochána demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring An Garda Síochána has provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out its vital policing work. This funding has enabled the Garda Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime.

These units include the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Unit, and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

GNDOCB leads in tackling all forms of drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs in Ireland. Given the global nature of the drugs trade, international law enforcement co-operation remains a key element in the overall response.

I am formed by the Garda authorities that, as of the end of April 2024, there were 105 Gardaí assigned to the GNDOCB. The table below provides a breakdown by rank.

The Bureau’s work is supported by Divisional Drugs Units nationwide, and by all Gardaí working in local communities.

The further table below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the number of Gardaí assigned to each Divisional Drugs Unit nationwide from the end of December 2019 up to the end of April 2024.

Please note that this information is based upon operational data which has been provided by An Garda Síochána and is liable to change.

I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review, in the context of crime trends and policing priorities.