Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

3 o’clock

With the numbers of trainee gardaí who are to be attested this year, the force will come to approximately 13,000. I agree with the Deputy that, in order to reach 15,000 in a timely way, we will need to accelerate the intake. Obviously, I will be having discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in that regard. Perhaps by September we will be in a position to announce an increased intake and I hope that can continue in the course of next year. This will lead to the acceleration to which the Deputy is referring and which will be very helpful all round.

To reply to the second part of the question, we are committed to launching a pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine the possible positive effects such reopenings would have on the level of criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order offences. The scheme will be initiated within two months. I intend to consult the Garda Commissioner and the Policing Authority which has been charged with the responsibility of overseeing it to agree the process through which the Commissioner will identify the six stations to be reopened under the pilot scheme. My officials will shortly be in contact with a view to putting in place the arrangements for the review, although it will obviously be a decision of the Commissioner as it is an operational issue.

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