Dublin plan ‘does not mean armed gardaí on street corners’, says McEntee

Plans for a greater Garda presence on Dublin’s streets does not mean there will be armed gardaí “standing on the corner of our streets,” the Minister for Justice said on Wednesday.

Helen McEntee said she wanted to clarify that perception: “That’s not what we’re talking about here. The armed support team has always supported Operation City Centre.”

Should a knife incident occur, should there be a threat to life, should something get out of hand, they will be there to assist, Ms McEntee told Newstalk Breakfast.

Garda management has promised to significantly increase visibility in Dublin city centre – including by deploying armed officers, riot police and dog units – in the wake of a series of high-profile attacks in the capital.

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An additional €10 million recently allocated will mean greater Garda visibility and more gardaí on the beat, and diversionary programmes to reach children and engage with families and communities will also help to reduce antisocial behaviour, the Minister said.

“I think that’s what people want to see. It’s about providing reassurance, it’s about preventing crime. It’s also protecting, it’s responding to crime. So we will see a greater presence. This is all about prevention where possible. That’s about making sure that people feel safe.

“In the coming weeks we will be launching a community safety partnership plan for the city centre. This is bringing together the guards, local authorities, the local businesses, community groups and education providers, health providers,” she said.

On the issue of safety on public transport, Ms McEntee said resources will be used in the best possible way to ensure people feel safe using public transport.

The Garda policing plan for Dublin will see additional gardaí stationed at trouble spots on the main thoroughfares and on the Liffey Boardwalk. Along with uniformed gardaí, specialist units will also be deployed “to enhance Garda visibility in the city centre”.

These units include the Garda Air Support Unit, the Mounted Unit, the Dog Unit, Regional Armed Response Units and Road Policing units.

While high profile violent attacks on the streets of Dublin have resulted in significant public debate for months, and the Government has responded with a €10 million package for a policing surge, crime data shows attacks have not increased, indeed they have fallen marginally.

Ms McEntee acknowledged the Government’s target of recruiting 1,000 gardaí this year will not be met but said she hoped further recruitment will see more enter the force.

When asked about the presence of gardaí at Bank of Ireland ATMs recently, she said what had happened had been a decision for each station where gardaí felt there was a potential public-order risk and that stations had responded accordingly.

In terms of gardaí having tattoos, the Minister said the issue was “very much” a matter for the Garda Commissioner to decide.

“I don’t want to cross over on any decision that he might make ... We’ve seen changes throughout the past and I think it’s reflective of the fact that we need to have an inclusive and diverse police force. It is very much a decision for the Commissioner though, and I don’t want to overstep.”