Home > Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 185, 186 & 50 - An Garda Síochána [36487/22, 36488/22, 35650/22].

[Oireachtas] Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 185, 186 & 50 - An Garda Síochána [36487/22, 36488/22, 35650/22]. (06 Jul 2022)

External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2022...


185. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the status of the work of Operation Citizen in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36487/22]

Minister for Justice: In line with goal one of Justice Plan 2022 to tackle crime, enhance national security and transform policing, I have been informed that An Garda Síochána are undertaking a number of operations in Dublin, including Operation Citizen, as part of the government’s overall aim to ensure that people are safe and feel safe in their own community.

As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes responsibility for the organisation's approaches to preventing and investigating criminal activity. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.

I am informed by the Garda Authorities that Operation Citizen commenced in Dublin city centre on 22 October 2021. It was initiated to reassure the citizens, visitors and the business community in Dublin City Centre that it is a safe place in which to visit, socialise, conduct business and enjoy its amenities. The aim of this operation is to deliver an enhanced high visibility policing presence in Dublin city centre on a daily basis. Operation Citizen focuses on collaborative community and stakeholder engagement, as the positive use of the Dublin City centre public realm is not just an issue for An Garda Síochána.

This operation places a particular focus on anti-social behaviour, public order and quality of life issues, assaults and high-volume crimes, and involves increased visible policing, particularly at key locations. In addition to Garda resources from the Dublin Metropolitan Region North Central and South Central divisions, Operation Citizen is supported by resources from the wider Dublin Region, Garda Roads Policing Units, the Garda National Public Order Unit and Garda Operational Support Units (Mounted Unit and Dog Unit).

The Garda authorities advise that there are in excess of 100 Gardaí patrolling Dublin city centre each weekend evening. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from 4pm, up to 30 additional Gardaí are deployed specifically on foot patrols in the city centre, resourced from outside the two core city centre divisions. Every Friday and Saturday evening, a Garda National Public Order Unit of 25 personnel (on mobile patrols) patrol the city centre. In excess of 500 additional hours policing are provided each week.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that there have been a total of 3,252 incidents recorded under Operation Citizen covering the period 1 January to 20 June 2022. The total figure includes 1,131 crime and 2,121 non-crime incidents.

An Garda Síochána continues to positively engage with key stakeholders such as Dublin City Council, business groups, the hospitality sector and voluntary bodies in addition to the formal interaction within the Dublin City Centre Business Forum and the High Level Street Issues Committee chaired by the Lord Mayor of Dublin.

As the Deputy may also be aware, in January this year, the Garda authorities launched Operation Saul to further support, enhance and strengthen the strategic and operational objectives of Operation Citizen. The aim of Operation Saul is to provide a safe environment for commuters utilising public transport services in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR).

In addition to the above, Operation Irene commenced in the DMR on 1 June, 2022 and continues until 31 August, 2022. The aim of this operation is to combat under-age alcohol consumption and the consumption of alcohol in public places in the DMR, in a targeted operation through the enforcement of legislation regulating the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol and other associated legislation.

Finally, Operation Limmat is the DMR’s assault in public and public order reduction strategy. The operation promotes a pro-arrest and early-investigation approach to incidents of assault, together with driving high-visibility policing in public places to act as a deterrent to prevent and reduce assaults and public order offences in the DMR.

________________________________

Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 186 – Antisocial behaviour [36488/22] (6 July 2022)

186. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the actions that the Garda Commissioner is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour in cities and towns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36488/22]

Minister of State at the Department of Justice: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including all operational policing matters, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). As Minister, I play no role in the detection, prevention, investigation or prosecution of any criminal offences.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is not, in itself, a singular offence and covers a range of situations and offences. There are a number of complex underlying, interlinked, causes for ASB. I am informed that An Garda Síochána has a range of operations, both nationally and within the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) aimed at reducing ASB and improving feelings of community safety.

All Garda members have a role to play in reducing anti-social behaviour through community engagement and enforcement of the relevant legislation.

National operations include the following:

- Operation Soteria is An Garda Síochána’s national assault reduction strategy and is in place to ensure a reduction of assaults in public, reduce fear of violence within communities, prioritise assault investigations and focus on problem areas and assault hotspots.

- Operation Tara's purpose is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels - international, national and local - involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs.

- Operation Twin Tracks is a community engagement and rail safety policing initiative conducted by Gardaí in partnership with other public transportation stakeholders with the purpose of providing high visibility policing of rail and light rail transport within the DMR and nationwide, and to deliver crime prevention advice.

Within the DMR, there are a number of specific operations:

- Operation Citizen continues to reassure the citizens, visitors and business community in Dublin City Centre that it is a safe place in which to visit, socialise, conduct business and enjoy its amenities, through an enhanced high visibility policing presence in Dublin City Centre on a daily basis.

- Operation Saul involves the effective management and planned delivery of all working resources in the DMR to ensure the delivery of both an overt and covert policing response on board bus, Luas, Dart and train services to effectively tackle anti-social behaviour, public order and criminal activity, on a daily basis.

- Operation Limmat is the DMR’s assault in public and public order reduction strategy, which promotes a pro-arrest and early-investigation approach to incidents of assault together with driving high-visibility policing in public places to act as a deterrent to prevent and reduce assaults and public order offences in the DMR.

- Operation Irene will deliver high-visibility policing across each Division in the Dublin Metropolitan Region to address alcohol-related public disorder in public places.

- Operation Boardwalk is an operation designed to provide increased high-visibility patrolling of the Liffey Boardwalk, Bachelor’s Walk and Eden Quay which involves proactive engagement with groups of youths and persons engaged in public consumption of alcohol.

- Operation Pier's purpose is to target ASB and street level drug dealing in the Temple Bar and adjoining areas.

- Operation Spire targets the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the O’Connell Street area and its immediate environs.

_____________________________________

Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 50 – Antisocial behaviour [35650/22] (5 July 2022)

50. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the action being taken to address antisocial and public order offences in Dublin city centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35650/22]

Minister for Justice: The Government is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and a number of priority actions are contained in the Programme for Government to reduce instances of such behaviour and help people to be safe and feel safe in their local communities. Justice Plan 2022, which I published earlier this year, will continue the Department’s focused commitment to working with An Garda Síochána, local communities and wider society to eliminate such behaviour and support community safety into the future.

In line with the Programme for Government, Minister Browne has established an Expert Forum on Anti-Social Behaviour to examine a broad range of issues with a focus on developing measures which will counteract the negative impact of such incidents on community morale and quality of life. Two subgroups have been established under the forum to consider the specific issues of knife crime and the misuse of scramblers and quadbikes. Other subgroups may be established to tackle additional specific issues as required.

I can inform the Deputy that there are a number of Garda operations in place in Dublin city centre and the wider DMR. In October 2021, Operation Citizen commenced in the city centre and was initiated to reassure the citizens, visitors and the business community in Dublin city centre that it is a safe place in which to visit, socialise, conduct business and enjoy its amenities. The aim of this operation is to deliver an enhanced high visibility policing presence in the city centre on a daily basis. This operation places a particular focus on anti-social behaviour, public order and quality of life issues, assaults and high-volume crimes, and involves increased visible policing, particularly at key locations.

In January this year, the Garda authorities launched Operation Saul to further support, enhance and strengthen the strategic and operational objectives of Operation Citizen. The aim of Operation Saul is to provide a safe environment for commuters utilising public transport services in the DMR.

Operation Boardwalk is in place in the DMR North Central Division designed to specifically tackle anti-social behaviour in the environs of the Liffey Boardwalk, Bachelor's Walk and Eden Quay and consists of proactive engagement with groups of youths and people engaged in public consumption of alcohol.

Operation Pier and Operation Spire are also underway within Dublin City Centre, in the DMR South Central and North Central Divisions respectively. These form the basis of a regional response to city centre street-level drug dealing and possession of drugs, with members performing dedicated patrols in areas known to have a high concentration of such issues. Some key areas targeted are those that have a significant nighttime economy.

Both operations are undertaken by uniformed and plain-clothes members on a full-time basis, with the objective of investigating, detecting, preventing and prosecuting criminal offences committed under the Misuse of Drugs Act. A large proportion of these operations focus on high-visibility and proactive policing and engagement with the residential and business communities.

In addition, Operation Irene commenced in the DMR on 1 June, 2022 and continues until 31 August, 2022. Operation Irene aims to combat under-age alcohol consumption and the consumption of alcohol in public places in the DMR, in a targeted operation through the enforcement of legislation regulating the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol and other associated legislation.

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that Operation Limmat is the DMR’s assault in public and public order reduction strategy. Operation Limmat promotes a pro-arrest and early-investigation approach to incidents of assault, together with driving high-visibility policing in public places to act as a deterrent to prevent and reduce assaults and public order offences in the DMR.

I can inform the Deputy that a new property on O’Connell Street has been identified as a strategically important location to enhance An Garda Síochána’s high-visibility policing service in the DMR North Central Division. When opened, this facility will support and enhance the existing policing service in Dublin city centre and will provide a range of Garda services to the public. The premises will also act as a base for members on a number of key Garda Operations running in the city centre, notably Operation Citizen.

Repository Staff Only: item control page