Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that 178 members of the Garda Síochána have voluntarily retired in the first four months of this year. This compares to 74 in the same period last year, 33 the previous year and 62 the year before that. A breakdown of figures for other years is not immediately available. Clearly, the rate of early retirements is increasing compared to previous years but, equally, it is not possible to predict with certainty the number of retirements for the full year. A not unexpected factor in the level of retirements this year is the impact of the three-year extension of the retirement age which was extended to the Garda Síochána in 2006. This means that gardaí who would in the normal course have been due to retire from the force in 2006 on age grounds are now due to retire in the current year.

It is my top priority to maintain the crime-fighting capacity of the Garda Síochána. In this regard, the Garda Commissioner, mindful of the general moratorium on public service appointments and of the need to make a strong case for any exceptions, has carefully assessed the capacity available to him at a senior level within the Garda Síochána. The Commissioner's approach has been to identify those posts which are especially important for operational policing. As a result of a submission from the Garda Commissioner and following agreement with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, I submitted a proposal to the Government yesterday for the appointment of three chief superintendents and ten superintendents as an exceptional measure. I am pleased to say that the Cabinet made the appointments. I will continue to keep the situation under review.

The Deputy will also be aware that there has been a very considerable increase in Garda resources in recent years, with the number of attested members rising from 10,968 at the end of 1997 to 11,895 at the end of 2002, to 13,755 at the end of 2007 and to 14,478 in the most recent figures. Even in this year of budgetary constraints, some 900 student gardaí will become attested. These significant increases in Garda resources mean that the force is well-placed to absorb the impact of budgetary constraints and to continue to provide a top-class policing service.

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