Commissioner, distinguished guests, members of An Garda Síochána, ladies
and gentlemen.
Can I start by thanking the Commissioner for his kind invitation to speak
to you today as you graduate from the Garda College. This is a very
special day for you, the culmination of so much training and hard work. It
must also be such a proud day for everyone who is here to support you and
share this occasion with you. So I am really delighted to have this chance
to say a few words to you.
I am also very pleased to see the recipients of the Scott medals here
today. It is absolutely right that these Garda members should have their
bravery publicly acknowledged, and their courage and commitment to duty is
a wonderful reminder to every member graduating today of the best
traditions of the Garda Síochána.
I would also like to add my welcome to the Children from Chernobyl who are
visiting the college today. I very much hope that they are enjoying their
stay in Ireland, and I think that a huge debt of thanks is owed to the
organisations in Ireland who have provided so much support for children
from that region over the last 25 years.
Can I also express my appreciation for the staff at this wonderful college,
which is truly among the leading police colleges in Europe. They have
worked with you so closely on what is a very demanding training course.
Their dedication, allied to your commitment and ability, have made this day
possible.
Can I also reassure everyone that there is no question, as some have
suggested, that this great college is effectively going to close down due
to lack of Garda recruitment. In addition to the college’s work in
training recruits, a major task of the college is providing a huge variety
of training to members of every rank – work that will not only continue,
but is more important than ever. So this college will continue its vital
work on Garda training, and will continue to be one of the most important
institutions in the Force.
But it is important, too, to acknowledge reality. It is true that there is
a temporary pause in the recruitment of Garda trainees. And let me be
frank – I regret that, and I want to see that pause limited to as short a
period as possible. I recognise the value of the energy and vitality
brought into the Force by each new intake of recruits. But the financial
and economic legacy left to this Government, and left to the country, leave
no choice. As part of the agreement entered into by the last Government
with the EU and the IMF, sharp reductions must be made in public
expenditure and there must be significant reductions in the numbers
employed in the public service. I wish this were not so, but we have to
face reality. And the reality is that, as part of the commitments they
made, the last Government undertook to reduce Garda numbers to 13,500 by
the end of this year, and to 13,000 by the end of 2014. A further
complication is that the rate of this reduction is almost entirely
dependent on the numbers of Garda members voluntarily retiring, and that is
another factor that will have to be taken into account.
This Government has its own targets for reductions in public service
numbers, but no final decisions have been taken on how these will be
apportioned. This will be the subject of serious discussion by the
Cabinet, and I will make sure that the needs of the Garda Síochána will be
taken into account in a fair and balanced way. I say that not by way of
holding out false hope that reductions can be avoided: they cannot. But I
do say that this Government will, whether in the Garda Síochána or
elsewhere, prioritise frontline operations. That is a pledge in the
Programme for Government and I reaffirm it here today.
In line with that Programme, I want to see administrative duties carried
out by civilian staff as much as possible, so that highly trained Gardaí
like you are freed up to tackle crime. I want to see reform of prosecution
and judicial case management systems, so that Gardaí do not waste time
waiting in court far longer than is necessary. I know that these problems
have been spoken about before, but they must be and will be addressed. The
crisis that has been brought about means that necessary reforms cannot be
long-fingered any more. There must be change, there must be reform.
And I want to acknowledge that reform is happening under the Croke Park
Agreement, reform that is being driven by Garda management with the
co-operation of the Garda Associations. For example, new Garda rosters are
being developed, so that policing resources can be better matched to
policing demands. An efficient system of Garda compensation is being
prepared, which will reduce legal costs and provide quicker compensation.
These and other changes will make a real improvement, but more will be
needed right across the public service to enable us all to maintain and
improve public services.
I believe that the Garda Síochána will rise to the task. Time and again
the Force has shown the capacity to respond to challenges with strength and
flexibility. Just look at how the whole Force responded to the
unprecedented back-to-back visits of her Majesty the Queen and President
Obama. The policing and security demands of those visits were huge. I was
so proud of the sheer professionalism of the response by the Garda Síochána
and the Defence Forces, a pride I believe was shared right across the
country.
That national pride was occasioned by the flawless execution by the Garda
Síochána of those security arrangements. But it has a deeper origin, and
that is the connection that the Force has with the Irish people. As
members of the Garda Síochána, you very much belong to the community you
serve. You enjoy huge levels of public trust, built up by the service and
sacrifice of generations of Gardaí. I know that you will honour that
tradition of service, and that you will always do your duty to the very
best of your ability.
It is a huge responsibility, but I know that you are ready for it. You
have already proven your ability during training. You have made a solemn
declaration that you will faithfully discharge your duties. I have total
confidence in your capacity and your integrity. The public are depending
on you, and I know that you will never let them down.
So let me finish by thanking each and every one of you for joining the
Garda Síochána and for dedicating yourself to public service. You have my
full support as you set out on an exciting career, and you have the full
support of the public you will serve. I wish you all a rewarding and
fulfilling career in this wonderful organisation.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.