Michael P. Kitt
I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, who
regrets that he is unable to be present due to other business. On behalf
of the Minister I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this important
matter.
The Minister is very conscious of the deep distress which burglary and
similar crimes can cause to householders in both urban and rural areas, as
well as the broader impact it can have in terms of fear of crime in our
communities. He also shares the justifiable outrage of all decent people at
those who commit aggravated burglaries in the homes of the elderly and more
vulnerable members of our community. The Minister is also very conscious of
the need to support strong partnerships between communities and local
Gardaí.
In relation to the policing response to burglaries, the Minister is fully
confident that the Gardaí are doing everything in their power to bring the
perpetrators of such crimes to justice. In this regard, he is in close
touch with the Garda Commissioner and he is assured that An Garda Síochána
is devoting all the resources necessary to confront those who seek to
profit from burglary crimes.
In particular, the Minister welcomes the progress being made as part of
Operation Fiacla, which is focused on identifying and targeting gangs
involved in burglaries throughout the country. Operation Fiacla is
intelligence driven and, as part of that operation, specific burglary
initiatives have been implemented in each Garda Region to target suspect
offenders. The Garda authorities have indicated that as of end February
2013, 4,226 persons have been arrested and 2,327 persons have been charged
under Operation Fiacla, reflecting the extent of the operation and the
impact it is having.
The Minister is also a strong supporter of the work of the Community Alert
Programme. His Department, along with the HSE, has for many years provided
funding for this valuable national programme which was set up initially in
1985 by Muintir na Tíre in association with the Garda authorities. This
programme has since developed into a national movement comprising over
1,300 local groups which work with the Gardaí to promote crime prevention
and improve the security of older and vulnerable persons in the community.
Community Alert harnesses, in a modern context, the qualities of
neighbourliness and mutual support which have long been characteristics of
community life in Ireland. Earlier this year, the Minster was pleased to
participate with the Garda Commissioner in the launch of new Garda
"Community Crime Prevention Guidelines", which contain advice for those
wishing to set up Community Alert, Neighbourhood Watch or similar groups,
and the support which their local community Gardaí will provide. These new
Guidelines take account of societal changes which have occurred since the
initial schemes were established and provide a step by step ‘how to’ guide
on establishing future schemes. They also enhance both individual and
community participation in crime prevention.
The Garda National Model of Community Policing aims at building upon and
enhancing good community policing practice. It recognises the need for
dedicated community police officers, and there are approximately 1,000 of
these officers deployed in communities countrywide. It is also worth
emphasising, as the National Model does, that all Gardaí have a role to
play in community policing, and this is very much part of the general ethos
of the Force.
To further underline the commitment of the Garda authorities to Community
Alert, the Commissioner has signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding
with Muintir na Tire, which provides an updated framework for the operation
of the programme.
In conclusion, the Minister will continue to support the Gardaí in their
ongoing operations to clamp down on those who seek to perpetrate cowardly
attacks on innocent householders. He also reaffirms his support for the
operation of the Community Alert programme and for effective partnerships
generally between communities and local Gardaí in tackling all forms of
crime.