Topical Issue Debate
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality what additional Gardai
resources will be made available to the Kildare Garda Division, when will
these resources become operational; and if she will make a statement on the
matter
Deputy James Lawless
On behalf of the Tánaiste, I would like to thank the Deputy for raising
this matter.
This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police
presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen
community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. To
make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve
an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000
Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. In 2017, funding
has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500
civilians to support the wide ranging reform plan in train in An Garda
Síochána. 300 appointments will also be made to the Garda Reserve.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for
the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda
Divisions and the Tánaiste has no direct role in the matter. The Tánaiste
is informed by the Garda Commissioner that in regard to the deployment of
Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all
relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs
of each individual Garda Division including the Kildare Division with a
view to providing an effective and responsive police service.
I am informed that as of the 31 October 2016, the latest date for which
figures are readily available, there were 307 members of An Garda Síochána
assigned to the Kildare Division. Further, the Kildare Division is
supported by 22 members of the Garda Reserve and 29 Civilian Staff. When
appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda
national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the
Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and
Organise Crime Bureau.
I am advised that Local Garda management in Kildare have also implemented
additional policing measures in response to recent incidents in the
Division, including additional Garda foot patrols, checkpoints and patrols
by the Regional Support Unit.
The Tánaiste recently met a group of local public representatives from
Kildare and listened carefully to their concerns in relation to crime and
policing. The Minister is of course happy to highlight particular matters
of local concern for attention by the Garda authorities.
Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 will
require some 3,200 new Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over
the next four years in addition to the 1,200 that will have been recruited
by the end of this year since the reopening of the Garda College in
September 2014. Since the reopening of the Garda College, 679 recruits have
attested as members of An Garda Síochána of whom 35 have been assigned to
the Kildare Division.
The Government's plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 is
complemented by substantial investment in resources across the board for An
Garda Síochána. The Deputy will be aware of the significant resources that
have been made available to An Garda Síochána under the Government's
Capital Plan 2016 - 2021. In particular, some €205 million in additional
funding for Garda ICT and €46 million for new Garda vehicles has been
allocated over the lifetime of the plan.
This investment will facilitate the provision of more effective policing
services and the Tánaiste expects that the Kildare Division, like all other
Garda Divisions will benefit from these new resources becoming available.
ENDS