David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter. They are passionate and serious about it, which I appreciate. I am taking the issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, who cannot be here this evening and who sends his apologies.

The distribution of gardaí is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. That said, I am aware that the Minister met with the acting Commissioner and his management team as recently as Monday of this week and the issue of resources was one of the matters discussed. The acting Commissioner has advised that the overall Garda strength in the Dublin metropolitan region, DMR, as of 31 December 2017 was 3,485. When appropriate, the work of local gardaí in the DMR is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the armed support unit, the national bureau of criminal investigation, the Garda national economic crime bureau and the Garda national drugs and organised crime bureau. The Deputies will be aware, as Deputy Curran predicted I would say, that the Garda College in Templemore was closed in 2010.

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