Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2017
36. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in each Garda station in counties Carlow and Kilkenny as of 30 June 2017; and the number of new recruits assigned to the division since recruitment resumed in 2014. [32845/17]
View answerThis question seeks to ascertain how many gardaí were based in each Garda station in counties Carlow and Kilkenny on 30 June last and how many new recruits have been assigned to the Carlow-Kilkenny Garda division since Garda recruitment resumed in 2014.
The table that accompanies this reply shows that 312 gardaí were based in the Carlow-Kilkenny Garda division on 31 May last. Many of them are assigned to Garda stations very close to Deputy Aylward, including Glenmore, Kilmoganny, Mooncoin, Mullinavat, Piltown and Thomastown. I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring there is a strong and visible police presence throughout the country to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. The Government's plan for making this a reality involves achieving an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, comprising 15,000 Garda Síochána members, 2,000 Garda Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. In 2017, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians in support of the Garda's wide-ranging reform plan. Funding has been provided for the recruitment of 300 Garda Reserve members, some of whom will operate in County Kilkenny.
The Deputy will be aware that a class of 198 trainees attested as members of An Garda Síochána on Thursday last. This was the largest class to attest since the Garda College reopened, having been closed in 2010. This brings the number of new recruits who have attested since the Garda College reopened to almost 1,200, with another 400 recruits scheduled to attest later this year. This will bring Garda numbers to 13,500 by the end of this year, when projected retirements are taken into consideration, and will mark a significant increase of 500 this year alone.
|
KILKENNY/CARLOW DIVISION 31 MAY 2017 |
||
|
DISTRICT |
STATION |
TOTAL |
|
CARLOW |
BALLON |
1 |
|
BORRIS |
2 |
|
|
CARLOW |
83 |
|
|
HACKETSTOWN |
1 |
|
|
MUINEBHEAG |
10 |
|
|
MYSHALL |
1 |
|
|
RATHVILLY |
1 |
|
|
TULLOW |
14 |
|
|
TOTAL |
113 |
|
|
KILKENNY |
CALLAN |
4 |
|
CASTLECOMER |
11 |
|
|
KILKENNY |
120 |
|
|
URLINGFORD |
2 |
|
|
TOTAL |
137 |
|
|
THOMASTOWN |
BENNETSBRIDGE |
1 |
|
GLENMORE |
1 |
|
|
GORESBRIDGE |
2 |
|
|
|
GRAIGUENAMANAGH |
4 |
|
|
KILMOGANNY |
1 |
|
|
MOONCOIN |
12 |
|
|
MULLINAVAT |
2 |
|
|
PILTOWN |
1 |
|
|
THOMASTOWN |
38 |
|
TOTAL |
62 |
|
|
KILKENNY/CARLOW TOTAL |
|
312 |
I am glad to hear what the Minister has said about areas on my doorstep in south Kilkenny. I tabled this question on foot of the crime epidemic that has swept rural Ireland in recent years. People in rural communities, particularly the elderly, are fearful because of the significant increase in burglaries and related offences in 2014 and 2015. This fear has now turned to anger. It seems to me, on the basis of the conversations I have had with community representatives in rural towns and villages in my constituency, that we will soon be dealing with a wave of vigilantism among our citizens. Too many people have fallen victim to calculated and brutal attacks by well-organised criminal gangs that are continuing to terrorise townlands and villages across rural Ireland. People are rightly fed up of living in fear. We need to ramp up the deployment of gardaí in rural areas. They are needed now more than ever. As the Minister has said, Garda recruitment resumed almost three years ago in 2014. While I welcome what the Minister has said, I think it is just the start. We need a lot more to stop the crime wave that is coming our way, particularly from cities such as Limerick and Dublin.
I assure the Deputy that the investment in personnel we have been discussing is complemented by the investment of resources across the board in An Garda Síochána. The Deputy will be aware that significant resources have been made available to the Garda to upgrade equipment in Garda stations, including ICT and email equipment. In addition, €46 million has been provided for Garda vehicles, some of which have been assigned to the Carlow-Kilkenny division. This investment will facilitate the provision of a more effective policing service. I have no doubt that the resources which are coming on stream will lead to an increase in Garda visibility in communities across Carlow-Kilkenny.
The programme for Government includes a commitment to erect CCTV cameras on all major junctions on the motorway network. When I raised this matter with the previous Taoiseach in this House a few weeks ago, I did not get a very good response. There are two motorways - the M9 and the M7 - in my constituency. As I said earlier, organised gangs are coming from the cities to target rural businesses and steal from them. In one case in May of this year, a gang came from Dublin to Urlingford, which is a small village in north Kilkenny, to rob from a business. They took the lot and were in and out in 13 minutes. They got back onto the motorway, which enables criminals to travel 100 miles in any direction from the scene of a crime within an hour. I believe they were back in Dublin within an hour. What is the status of this legislation?
In a recent response to a parliamentary question, the Minister indicated that the Garda Commissioner is likely to sanction the reopening of Leighlinbridge Garda station in County Carlow. I add my support to the reopening of Leighlinbridge and ask the Minister to take a close look at County Kilkenny as well. In Kilkenny and Castlecomer, two Garda stations cater for districts with huge rural and urban populations and I ask the Government to consider 24-7 services at these stations or, failing this, an additional allocation. Stations in rural towns close down at certain times and Kilkenny city takes on responsibility. I ask that these rural towns, especially the designated towns, have enough gardaí to cover areas where several Garda stations have been closed down.
The Deputy referred to Leighlinbridge Garda station in County Carlow and I can advise him that positive consideration has been given to the reinstitution of the Garda service from Leighlinbridge. I would be happy to communicate with the Deputy on progress in this matter. He also mentioned north Kilkenny. There are 11 gardaí in Castlecomer and two in Urlingford and the area is served by the 120 gardaí in Kilkenny city.
In addition to the provision of garda numbers the Deputy will be aware of the community scheme in respect of text alerts and the work with local communities through the community alert organisation and local organisations such as Muintir na Tíre and farm organisations. I assure the Deputy that additional investment will make it possible to maintain and extend a range of intensive policing operations with particular reference to Operation Thor, which has been particularly active in the Kilkenny area. We also have new legislation in the form of the Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Act.
Does the Minister have any comment on the use of CCTV?
