Speech by Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald T.D. Topical Issues Debate

The need for zero tolerance policing in Dublin city centre to ensure

adequate protection for its citizens. – Terence Flanagan T.D.

I am grateful to the Deputy for raising this important matter for debate

today. I am of course very much aware of the concerns about crime and

anti-social behaviour in the city centre, and the potential impact for all

who live, work and visit our capital city.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for

the deployment of Garda resources. However, as Minister for Justice I am

committed to supporting an Garda Síochána in providing a strong, visible

policing presence in communities right across the country, in order to help

reduce crime. This includes Dublin City Centre.

I welcome the ongoing implementation by Gardaí of their ‘Dublin City Centre

Policing Plan’ which has been operational since June 2013. The vision

expressed in the Plan is “To create a safe city to live, work, visit and

enjoy” with Garda operations following the principle that “No offence or

behaviour will go unnoticed or unchallenged”. In implementing the Plan the

Garda approach includes dedicated high- visibility, uniformed patrols in

key commercial and public thoroughfares.

A number of targeted city centre policing operations are in place,

including Operation Pier, which concentrates on the South Quays and Temple

Bar area, and Operation Spire which is focussed on the O’Connell Street and

North Inner City areas. There is also a specific public order unit which

operates on a reactive basis as the need arises. Gardaí have also

conducted a number of targeted operations in relation to the effects of

begging in the area and in particular aggressive begging.

Gardaí have increased their activity targeting the supply of illegal drugs

in the area, with increased numbers of drug seizures and searches.

According to the provisional statistics from the Garda Síochana Analysis

Service for the first nine months of the year, the total number of drug

searches is up 5% in the North Central (Store Street) division and up 24%

in the South Central (Pearse Street) division.

I also wish to acknowledge the work of An Garda Síochána, including with

the entertainment and night-time sector, in seeking to address problems of

public disorder associated with the abuse of alcohol. Garda resources are

deployed to support this effort, with a dedicated public order patrol van

assigned to the city centre every Friday and Saturday night.

I wish to advise the House that the latest provisional statistics, collated

by the Garda Síochana Analysis Service for the first nine months of the

year, indicate a number of positive trends. Public order offences are down

7% in the South Central (Pearse Street) Garda division and down 19% in the

North Central (Store Street) division; while drunkenness is down 22% in the

South Central division and down 16% in the North Central division.

I’ll be the first to say that we shouldn’t rely solely on statistics. But

neither should we allow high-profile reports of individual incidents to

cast our City in an unfairly negative light. What is most important is the

first-hand, day-to-day experiences of shoppers, visitors, residents and

workers, who should all feel safe in the City Centre, at all hours. I know

that challenges remain but I am confident that the ongoing efforts of

Gardaí will make a positive difference and I will continue to support this.

This commitment to policing was very clearly demonstrated this week in the

Budget 2015 announcements for the Justice sector, which sees the first

year-on-year budget increase since 2008; involving a total spending

increase of €141 million since budget day last year including a 68% rise in

capital funding.

This week I announced two further intakes of recruits to the Garda College

in Templemore; the first 100 to enter before the end of this year with a

further intake of 100 in January 2015. Of course, 100 new recruits already

entered Garda College in September 2014. In addition, Budget 2015 provides

for the ongoing civilianisation of immigrations functions which, when

completed, will free-up 150 Gardaí for frontline policing duties. I will

continue to monitor Garda staffing levels during 2015 with a view to

agreeing further intakes to Garda College as required.

Budget 2015 also includes an additional new allocation of €10 million to

support the purchase and fit-out over 400 new vehicles. These cars will

begin to come on stream in early 2015. This investment delivers on a key

budget priority of mine and demonstrates the commitment of Government to

ensuring the ongoing provision of a modern and efficient Garda fleet. There

will be a particular focus on increasing the number of marked Garda

vehicles so as to provide enhanced visibility to the policing presence in

areas including Dublin City Centre.

I believe this increased investment in An Garda Síochána marks a positive

step forward for policing in Ireland.

I must add; and it is widely acknowledged, that many of the underlying

problems in relation to concerns of anti-social activity in our City

Centre, are not policing ones. The context for finding solutions must

therefore encompass a coordinated approach from state agencies involved in

social housing, health and drug treatment services, as well as through

partnership with business, community and voluntary groups.

Gardaí already engage closely with Dublin City Council and the HSE in

conducting an assertive outreach programme in relation to public substance

misuse. Similarly Gardaí are proactively engaged with Dublin City Council

in relation to the range of issues connected to homelessness in the city

area. Tackling homelessness is a key concern for Government and I should

take this opportunity to acknowledge that my colleague Minister Kelly has

allocated an additional €10.5m in Budget 2015. I intend to engage further

with him in ensuring an effective joint approach.

I wish to commend Dublin City Council for it leadership in working with

Gardaí and in facilitating the Dublin City Joint Policing Committee,

including its associated stakeholders groups representing the views of

businesses, community interests and service providers. I am committed to

continuing to supporting this dynamic, multi-agency, partnership approach

and to this end, I intend to meet shortly with senior Gardaí and members of

the Dublin City Joint Policing Committee and its associated stakeholder

groups, with a view to identifying how the Government & I can further

support and strengthen these ongoing efforts to enhance the policing and

public safety of the City Centre area.

Concluding Remarks

I would like, once again, to thank the Deputy for providing the opportunity

for debate on the important matters of concern which we have discussed.

The centre of our Capital City is of course important not just for those of

us who might live there, but for the many people who travel there to work,

shop and enjoy their leisure time. It also has great importance from a

tourist perspective. So I do share the general concern that we make every

effort to promote a safe and welcoming environment in the city centre.

I am aware that Garda management in the Dublin Metropolitan Region is

continuing to engage closely with the City Council and the HSE and other

important stakeholders in addressing the range of issues which impact on

the City Centre area. I know that Gardaí are also pursuing important work

to enhance community policing including a pilot initiative called the Small

Areas Policing Programme which is being developed in the North Inner City.

As I have said, I intend to meet shortly with senior Gardaí and members of

the Dublin City Joint Policing Committee and its associated stakeholder

groups, on these issues and will certainly reflect the Deputy’s concerns in

those discussions.