Mr. Drew Harris:

At the moment, Donegal and Sligo-Leitrim are just a little below 800. I have the precise figure here, which one of my colleagues will be able to find. I am being cautious about those divisions merging at this time. We want to be sure about the implementation, particularly the back office implementation, before we start to address the Border divisions. However, the chief superintendent leading that division will still have 800 staff available for local policing.

He or she can draw on national and specialist support. He or she will have a body of staff enabling him or her to deliver the policing function and will have the backing of both regional and national resources. He or she will have a good, solid command and can surge that across the division, as needed, to meet specific requirements in addition to the requirements associated with community policing, investigating crime, etc.