Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and the deployment of resources. The allocation of Garda resources is made in light of identified operational demand. As such, the Minister for Justice has no direct role in the allocation of Garda resources. The Minister is advised that as of 31 May, the latest date for which figures are available, Dublin Metropolitan Region North has a strength of 793 Garda members in all its ranks. This is an increase of 125 members, or 18.7%, since the end of 2015. The division is currently further supported by 64 Garda staff, an increase of 20 or almost 45.5%, since the end of 2015. For the Deputy's information, the area referred to is covered by Coolock Garda Station. There were 125 Garda assigned to Coolock Garda Station as of 31 May, which is an increase of 21.4% since the end of 2015, when 103 Garda were assigned to that station. The Garda in Coolock Garda Station are supported by 15 Garda staff members. As I have said, the Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with an unprecedented allocation of more than €2 billion provided in budget 2022. The Deputy may be aware that there was a very strong interest in the recent Garda recruitment campaign, with more than 11,000 people applying to become members. The recruitment process is continuing to identify candidates to enter the Garda Síochána College over the coming period. I wish to reiterate and reassure the Deputy that the Northern Cross project is considered a strategic and priority project by An Garda Síochána. I hope the Deputy continues to use his considerable influence to help bring the project to fruition.

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