Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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559. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to clarify, regarding comments he made on a television programme (details supplied) on Monday, 12 February 2025 that parts of Dublin were not safe, the specific Garda districts within the Dublin Metropolitan Region he was referring to; what actions he is taking to address the concerns for public safety that he referred to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6055/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to the principle that people should be safe and feel safe, wherever they are in Ireland. As a large city, Dublin experiences many of the same challenges faced by the vast majority of capital cities, and while generally safe, different parts of the city can be unsafe at certain moments, particularly at night.

With regard to safety in Dublin City Centre, the Garda Commissioner has put significant additional resources into high visibility policing in Dublin city centre and he has assured me that will continue. Of the 599 Gardaí who attested last year, 372 were allocated to stations across Dublin.

As of the end of December 2024, there are 3,809 Gardaí working in Dublin. Of those, 1,381 are assigned to DMR North Central and South Central and police the inner city. There are also 513 Garda staff working in the DMR, which is a very significant increase of over 40% since 2020.

The unprecedented allocation of €2.48 billion in Budget 2025 has provided An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to provide high visibility policing, including a boosted overtime budget of €150 million, an increase of 13%.

Under Operation Citizen, uniform Gardaí members perform high visibility patrols on foot and on bike, and respond to reports of crime in Dublin city centre. The Gardaí deployed on Operation Citizen are drawn from Store Street and Pearse Street Garda stations, using the Gardaí who are best placed to provide an effective policing service, bringing their local knowledge.

Other Garda Operations taking place in Dublin to deter crime and anti-social behaviour include: Operation Saul which aims to provide a safe environment for commuters using public transport services; Operation Táirge targeting Retail Theft; and Operation Tara tackling street level drug-dealing.

On a strategic level Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs) are rolling out nationally and include residents, local councillors, community representatives (including representatives of young people, older people, and new and minority communities), business and education representatives and a range of public services including the HSE, Tusla, An Garda Síochána and the local authority.

The Dublin North Inner City Community Safety Partnership published a community safety plan for the area for 2023-2026, which contains 50 actions across five priority areas aimed at enhancing safety in the area.

Additionally, the Report of the Dublin City Taskforce was launched in October last year, after it was appointed in May 2024 to take a holistic view of the measures required to rejuvenate Dublin City Centre, and improve its safety, public realm, and experience. The report recommended ten ‘Big Moves’ to this end, including the revitalization of O’Connell Street and its environs, establishing targeted and better located Services for vulnerable City Centre populations, and prioritising the total regeneration of social housing complexes. The Department of Taoiseach is overseeing the development of roadmap for implementation of the report.

The Government will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to keep people safe in communities in Dublin.