Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the operation of the Garda Reserve since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32767/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The establishment of the Garda Reserve is one of the most important innovations in policing in Ireland in recent years. It has strengthened the links between the Garda Síochána and local communities and is a source of local support and knowledge. It brings new life to the organisation through its members. Reserve members bring a fresh and innovative approach to policing as they approach their duties with the different perspectives and skills developed in their everyday jobs and lives. The establishment of the reserve allows committed individuals from a great diversity of professional, social, cultural and ethnic groups to take part in policing.

The Garda Reserve members have been very effective in their role in assisting their full-time colleagues. An operational review undertaken by the Garda Commissioner has found that the Garda Síochána has benefited from the establishment of the reserve and that full-time and reserve members are working well together. I am certain that the positive impacts made by the reserve members to date bode well for the future of the force.

At 30 September 2008, there were 254 attested reserve gardaí and 157 reserve trainees, and some 147 have been recruited to date this year. Recruitment is continuing and regular promotional efforts to attract potential reserve members are being undertaken. There is considerable interest in the Garda Reserve among the general public, with 2,843 applications received by the Public Appointments Service this year until the end of August.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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While I did not hear the Minister give the figure, the number of Garda reservists is in the region of 300. I make the point in the context of the promise and commitment by the then Minister, Mr. McDowell, that there would be 900 Garda reservists in place by 2006. This Minister has been something of a failure. A sizeable town in my constituency, Portlaoise, my home town, has the benefit of one Garda reservist. How can this be, when the Minister states there have been over 2,500 applicants this year?

The Minister recently informed the House that various publicity campaigns are being undertaken to recruit Garda reservists. What do these cost? What is the current cost of the recruitment campaign? What strength does the Minister believe the Garda Reserve will have by the end of this year?

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Can we say, on leaving the House, that the Minister intends to bring the figure up to 900 and when will this happen? It is important that we have the correct information when leaving the House because I understood the Minister to say earlier with regard to the amalgamation of five different bodies that all he is amalgamating is the payroll. I presume I was right about that too.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Question No. 89 asks whether the Minister had plans to benchmark the function and effectiveness of the Garda Reserve against similar reserves in other countries. Perhaps he could deal with this in his response.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the Laois-Offaly area, three Garda reservists have been taken on in 2008 and substantial numbers have been taken on across the country.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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That is dreadful. Three in one large region is not a good benchmark.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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They have been successful and there is significant interest among the general public, with over 2,800 having applied. I understand that only approximately one in ten of the applicants comes through the examination, for various reasons. For example, when they enter the process, some find it is a little more onerous than expected and others feel they may not be able to marry the reserve with their existing job. An interesting figure which we should welcome shows that, to date, 20 of the 27 gardaí who have left the reserve did so to become full-time gardaí, which shows a clear adherence to the issue of trying to look after our communities. The duties they perform——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I will have to interrupt the Minister. That concludes the time allocated for questions.