Politicians clash with Drew Harris over garda visibility

Several TDs and Senators told Drew Harris that his description of the garda service being provided to the community did not tally with their experiences. Picture: Garrett White/PA

Government and opposition politicians from across the country have pressed home serious concerns over a lack of garda visibility to the Garda Commissioner.

Several TDs and Senators told Drew Harris that his description of the garda service being provided to the community did not tally with their experiences.

Commissioner Harris was appearing before the Oireachtas Justice Committee in what is likely to be for the last time, before he retires at the end of August.

The bulk of members thanked him for his service and wished him well, while also expressing sympathies on the death of Garda Kevin Flatley during the course of his duties a month ago.

Three deputies and a senator from Dublin, a deputy and a senator from Cavan/Monaghan, along with a senator from Cork and a senator from Galway all told of the experiences of constituents and themselves on the visibility of gardaí and their response to calls. Garrett Kelleher, Fine Gael senator for Cork North Central, told the commissioner: 

The lack of visible gardaí in Cork city centre needs to be addressed. 

He said people felt the merging of policing in Ballincollig and Bishopstown, as well as Douglas and Carrigaline, had reduced garda resources and responses.

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Bay North, Tom Brabazon, said there was a “gap” between what commissioner thought of the policing service in communities and the “experience on the ground”.

He said the new policy where all members of the public had to ring 999 for a garda response was “not working” as many people thought 999 was only for emergencies and not for calls about anti-social behaviour or “quality of life” issues.

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Mid West Mark Ward said the commissioner’s perspective was “not reflected” among his constituents and said there was a “genuine lack of garda visibility” and that some calls are not responded for days.

He said some people, living in certain parts of the community, felt like they were "a lawless society”.

Social Democrats TD for Dublin Central, Gary Gannon, said parts of Dublin were “not being policed” and cited several parks with open drug dealing.

Fianna Fáil Senator for Galway Anne Rabbite said garda responses had decreased dramatically.

Fianna Fáil Senator Robbie Gallagher of Cavan-Monaghan invited the commissioner and the two deputies with him down to his area. He said he would buy each of them a pint or a coffee for every garda on patrol they saw — adding it “would not cost me much”.

He said the size of the new division under the operating model spanned Monaghan, Cavan and Louth.

Committee chair, Matt Carthy, Sinn Féin TD for Cavan Monaghan said it made “no logic” to have urban Dundalk and rural Belturbet in same division and said the new operating model had “weakened” the connection between gardaí and communities.

Mr Harris said he had expected he would now have 15,200 gardaí, rather than 14,200, and said this, rather than the operating model, was affecting visibility. But he said the force was "growing" and that recruitment was "very, very strong".