Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

We are in the midst of the biggest recruitment drive for new officers since the foundation of the State. Starting in January 2005, more than 1,100 new officers per year have been and are being recruited for three years.

The number of officers assigned to stations in the Dublin metropolitan area has risen by more than 600 since 1997, from 3,200 to 3,794. In addition to those gardaí assigned to stations in Dublin there are 147 officers in the Dublin traffic unit, 99 officers in the Dublin command and control unit, bringing the strength of the force in the Dublin region to 4,400 personnel today. This does not include any of the several hundred officers included in the special units, such as the drugs squad and others. They are not included because they work mainly but not exclusively in Dublin.

The reason for the seemingly low number of gardaí in Dublin Garda stations in December 2005 was the transfer of 50 personnel from the uniformed service in Dublin stations in November to the national bureau of criminal investigation. Under the auspices of Operation Anvil, those 50 officers dealt exclusively with criminals involved in gun crime.

See this speech in context