Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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20. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current number of gardaí for Cork city and county in May 2024; the number of gardaí in May 2023 for Cork city and county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26496/24]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to find out from the Minister the number of gardaí available to police Cork city and county, how this number compares to this time last year and whether she feels this figure is adequate or if efforts are under way to ensure there are sufficient gardaí to police Cork city and county.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I would like to see more gardaí in Cork, as I would like to see more gardaí across the country. I want to see the numbers we have increase regardless of what the overall figure is now.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of personnel. Having said that, the unprecedented allocation of more than €2 billion for 2023 and €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda Síochána demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring there is provision for the necessary equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel to be provided in all communities. I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review.

The Deputy may be interested to know that crimes such as burglary, public order offences and drugs offences have all decreased across the county when 2023 is compared with 2019. I am informed by the Garda authorities that at the end of April 2024, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 1,275 Garda members were assigned to Cork. Of this total, 670 Garda members were assigned to the Cork city division, 324 to Cork north division and 281 to Cork west division. This is compared to figures at the end of May 2023, when a total of 1,313 Garda members were assigned to Cork. Of this total, 705 Garda members were assigned to Cork city division, 323 to Cork north division, and 285 to Cork west division. Obviously, there has been a larger decrease in the numbers in the Cork city division, but as more new members come through Templemore and are assigned across the country I can assume and will expect to see those numbers increase again, as is the case in other counties. I am advised by the Garda authorities that just over 200 Garda staff are working alongside Garda members in Cork, a total which has doubled since 2015. Garda staff carry out vital roles to increase the availability of gardaí to focus on front-line duties to free up those gardaí currently undertaking desk-based duties. The significant increase in Garda staff across the country in recent years has enabled 900 gardaí overall to be freed up for front-line duties.

I am committed to pursuing all opportunities to civilianise even further the administrative functions within An Garda Síochána to release Garda members to take on front-line duties. This week, responsibility for first-time registrations and renewals of Irish immigration residence permission for non-EU, EEA, UK and Swiss nationals residing in counties Cork and Limerick transferred from An Garda Síochána to my Department.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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When the Minister opened by stating her view that she would like to see more gardaí, I felt it was going to be a case of, "O God, the numbers are going down", and she then confirmed that. The number of gardaí in the city has gone down from 705 to 670 and the county divisions have lost gardaí as well. We see this impact on the ground and it is a great source of concern for many people. The new policing model is in place in Cork county at this stage, which has resulted in a very large area being policed right across the county, and even including parts of County Kerry. It is a very diverse area, with rural and urban parts and a coastal area known for drug trafficking. It is greatly important that there would be adequate policing. The Minister also gave an indication of some crime figures going downwards but she did not quote public order figures. I am interested to know more about this. What efforts are being made to ensure that existing vacant posts are being filled?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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We find ourselves in a position across the country where we have approximately 1,000 fewer gardaí than we should have. This is because the impact of Covid-19 meant no new recruits went into the college in Templemore for two years. We had gathered momentum in the recruitment campaigns at that stage and they had been producing significant numbers of new members. We are only back to those numbers now because it has taken time to do so through various campaigns. Work has been done to encourage more people to apply and to retain the gardaí we have because throughout those two years while no new recruits were coming in, we naturally still had retirements and people leaving. We are at full employment, so while we do have people leaving the Garda, the rate at which this is happening is still below the rates found in police forces in other jurisdictions.

In saying that, the more gardaí we can get passing through Templemore, the more Cork will benefit, the more my county will benefit, the more Dublin will benefit and the more everybody will benefit. In the interim though, it is about ensuring the gardaí we have on the force, who are doing excellent work, have the resources they need and are supported by civilian staff. Separate from the recruitment campaigns for training places in Templemore, recruitment campaigns are also under way for new Garda staff. We have also opened the new campaign for the Garda Reserve because we know how effective its members can be, particularly when we are looking at community policing and assisting gardaí out on the beat engaging with particular types of crimes or even antisocial behaviour. The members of the Garda Reserve are very effective in these types of situations. This campaign is under way and I encourage people to participate in it.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Given that the numbers of gardaí in Cork have reduced, what efforts will be made to ensure there will be an increase in the numbers in Cork to fill these vacant posts and police the area adequately? We have seen that there are recruitment campaigns and that trainee gardaí are going through the process. Yet, in some of those campaigns, we have seen that the Commissioner has directed people to the north east, Dublin and various other locations where it was felt there was greater need. This left posts unfilled in places like Cork. For example, it took several years to replace a sergeant in Baile Bhuirne. There is currently a vacancy in Tír Eiltín, where there is a great demand that the garda be replaced and the community not be left exposed. What efforts are being made to fill these vacant posts I have mentioned and others across County Cork?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Competitions are run on an ongoing basis. Panels are developed and then positions are filled. Where new Garda members go or where serving members are redirected must be a matter for the Garda Commissioner. My job is to ensure the Garda and its members have the resources they need, the support they need and, as far as I can ensure it, that more people are going through Templemore to train to become gardaí and more civilian staff are being taken on. As I said, we have had our recruitment campaign for the Garda Reserve taking place this month, which is the first for approximately seven years. I am, therefore, doing what I can to ensure we have a steady stream of new gardaí coming through. Beyond that, the Commissioner must look at where resources are needed. He has a finite number to work with. Every time we have new recruits, therefore, and, thankfully, we will have more recruits coming out in the next few weeks, he will have to look at where pressures exist and resources are needed, while at the same time ensuring everybody gets their fair share. It will have been seen that the Garda members passing out from the latest graduation were more dispersed across the country than had been the case previously. I have no doubt that as the numbers continue to increase Cork will get its fair share. Recruitment competitions are ongoing as well, so I have no doubt that those vacant posts will be filled shortly as well.