CORK IS THE next city to get increased garda visibility, after the operation in Dublin proved successful, the new Garda Commissioner has said.

Justin Kelly will address the Oireachtas Justice Committee today, where he will discuss the benefits of the expansion.

The High Visibility Policing initiative, which was implemented in Dublin in March, was designed to give people a greater sense of garda presence in areas where the most people congregate in the city centre. 

Kelly will tell the committee that its success is seen in the increased detections of incidents of anti-social behaviour (up 18%), drunkenness (up 67%) and drugs for sale or supply (up 3%).

Simultaneously, he will present figures that he says suggest other crime rates have reduced.

These include theft from person (down 28%), robbery from an establishment (down 9%), begging (down 57%) and assaults causing harm (down 17%).

Begging is not illegal in Ireland, but certain practices related to it are, such as intimidation and obstructing public passages.

“The increasing garda numbers means we can increase Garda visibility, with a focus on key urban locations,” Kelly wrote in his opening statement.

“An Garda Síochána must play its part to ensure people feel safe to work and socialise in our towns and cities.” 

He says the replication of the operation in Cork will see a consistent increased garda presence in the city – “not for a weekend or a particular time of the year, it is for the all-year round”.

Kelly has inherited an under-resourced force, but he says he’s committed to recruiting 5,000 gardaí over the next five years,

As of the end of September, there were 14,325 gardaí and 3,650 staff in An Garda Síochána. There are 200 more gardaí now than there were this time last year.

Kelly noted that the resignation rate of 1% is “well below” other forces.

He added that the provision of body cams, larger cans of incapacitant spray, and more water canons will make the job easier.

Kelly also says, alongside day-to-day operations, policing the European Union Presidency, which Ireland will take over in July next year, is a priority for him in his new role.

Security for the EU Presidency is being managed by a team in An Garda Síochána but it will involve multiple agencies and the more largescale and robust aspects will have to involve the Irish Defence Forces. 

It comes amid heightened tensions across Europe in the wake of several incidents that saw drone swarms close airspace in several countries.

There are now concerns that events around the EU Presidency, particularly a high level summit of leaders in Ireland next year, could be exposed due to a lack of Irish capability.