Justice Minister O'Callaghan Lacks Date for 1,000 Extra Dublin Gardaí Deployment

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has stated that he does not have a definitive date for the deployment of 1,000 additional Gardaí to Dublin city centre. Despite this, he affirmed that the current «high-visibility» policing in the area has fostered «confidence» and «safety» within the city.

The Dublin City Taskforce, established last May to devise a revitalization plan for the capital following the November 2023 riots and the Covid-19 pandemic, recommended the deployment of 1,000 extra Gardaí in 2024 to enhance city centre security. Mr. O'Callaghan reiterated the Government's commitment to implementing the taskforce's report, noting that these officers must first be recruited and that other regions across the country also require policing services.

Mr. O'Callaghan's remarks came in response to Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman, who emphasized that the deployment of an additional 1,000 Gardaí was considered a minimum requirement and crucial for public safety. Mr. O'Gorman highlighted that this figure was not arbitrary, but rather represented the minimum number needed to align with European average policing standards for a city of Dublin's size. He further pointed out that the net increase in Gardaí in Dublin city centre districts has been only 40 in the 18 months since the report's publication, suggesting that at the current rate, the target would not be met until approximately 2063.

In response, Minister O'Callaghan told Deputy O'Gorman, «I want to see an extra 1,000 gardaí in Dublin. You were in Government as well, you know that things don't happen with the click of a finger or overnight.»