Louth Garda division and roster model
Deputy Ó Murchú raised concerns about the new Garda operating model, especially the expansion of the Louth division and the risk to specialist and community policing. The Minister repeated that roster decisions were operational matters for the Garda Commissioner and said work was ongoing to build consensus on a future rostering plan.
I want to bring up the issue of the new operating model for gardaí. The Louth Garda division is to be added to the Cavan-Monaghan division in December. This area is not workable; it is far too big. We might look at the crime statistics in County Louth, which I think will even take in part of east Meath. In the town of Dundalk we recently had an incident in which three gardaí were injured by a stolen car ramming into them. We obviously had incidents in Drogheda. I do not think I need to explain to anyone the incidents that happened there with regard to the feud. I do not think in any way, shape or form that this is operational. I call for engagement with the Minister from the point of view of stalling, reviewing and overturning as happened when there was an attempt for County Donegal to be put with Sligo-Leitrim. This would be one of the few three-county models and it is in no way workable.
At the same time, that is happening in December. On 6 November, we are going to lose community gardaí. We are going to lose gardaí from the drug squad in order to operate the non-operational Garda rosters. None of this is good enough. None if this is workable. We need there to be Government engagement to ensure that we provide An Garda Síochána with the resources to be able to provide a fit-for-purpose service for the people out there.
Comment on this
I just said in answer to another question that my understanding is that it is not the Commissioner's intention to lose gardaí from specialist units within An Garda Síochána.
Comment on this
I also asked about the new operational model.
Comment on this
I am not sure where the Deputy is hearing it from but I am putting it on the record that this is my understanding as a Government spokesperson. I also do not think we should be deciding in this House on operational matters for An Garda Síochána. We do not have the expertise. We are politicians. That is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and the team around him in terms of the leadership of An Garda Síochána. There is work to do to build consensus within An Garda Síochána as a whole in terms of a rostering plan for the future. The Commissioner is meeting representative bodies tomorrow on that. The Minister met representative bodies today and discussed that issue. Let us give that process time to draw its own conclusions.