Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the details of the Garda recruitment programme currently underway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28669/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The purpose of organising a Garda recruitment competition at this time is to establish a panel of approved candidates who will be available to meet future Garda recruitment needs. I was happy to obtain the approval of my colleague the Minister for Finance for this competition which was launched on 4 June 2010. This forward planning is necessary given the lead time involved in establishing such a panel and in training recruits to the point of attestation. Trainees will be subsequently taken into the college as needed to ensure Garda strength is maintained at an approved level.

Maintaining the operational strength of the Garda Síochána at the approved level is my absolute priority and I am pleased we are making the necessary preparations to ensure this can be achieved into the future. I should point out that as of the end of May 2010 the Garda strength stood at 14,571, with an additional 116 students in training and 555 Garda reservists available to the Commissioner. This is higher than at the same date in 2009 when the Garda strength was 14,426. There are also currently more than 2,100 civilian personnel who provide secretarial, technical, administrative, specialist and expert support services to the Garda Síochána.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I remind the Minister that it is almost a year since, in response to media speculation, he, along with a number of his Government colleagues, stated that regardless of the state of the public finances or the depth of the recession front line Garda services would not be affected. In the context of the retirement last year of an unprecedented number of gardaí of varying degrees of rank, totalling in excess of 800, how many of those 800 retirees have been replaced, with specific reference to senior posts. I again ask, having asked the following question on a number of occasions and received a less than direct answer, how many of the 12 chief superintendents, 26 superintendents, 31 inspectors, 166 garda sergeants and 466 gardaí who retired last year have been replaced and how many senior positions, above the rank of Garda sergeant, remain vacant as of 30 June 2010?

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Flanagan appears to have forgotten the Fine Gael budgetary proposals which, had we accepted them, would have resulted in not one extra garda. We would not have been able to replace any of the retired garda had those proposals been accepted.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I have asked about the Minister's commitments.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Some 776 garda retired last year.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is conveniently abdicating responsibility.

Séamus Kirk (Louth, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please allow the Minister to continue.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As I stated in my reply, there were 14,571 garda in May 2010, which is an increase on the 14,426 garda in the force at the same time last year, which I believe answers the Deputy's question. If 776 garda retired and the figures increased by more than 100, obviously there were more garda taken on than retired during the past year.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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They were in the system.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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In regard to senior gardaí, I obtained during the past year a number of derogations from the moratorium in respect of public service appointments. For example, on 26 May 2009, the Government approved the appointment of three chief superintendents and ten superintendents. Previous derogations culminated in the sanction of 170 promotions in February 2010. On 2 February, 28 sergeants were promoted to the rank of inspector and 120 gardaí were promoted to the rank of sergeant. On 9 February, the remaining inspector on the promotion list to the post of superintendent was promoted to the rank of superintendent. On 11 February 2010, 34 gardaí were promoted to the rank of sergeant and a further 15 gardaí were on 4 May 2010 promoted to the rank of sergeant. A competition for promotion from the rank of superintendent to chief superintendent has been finalised resulting in nine successful candidates being placed on a list, seven of whom were on 22 April 2010 promoted to the rank of chief superintendent. A competition for the promotion from the rank of inspector to the rank of superintendent has also been finalised, resulting in 27 successful candidates being place on a list, 22 of whom were on 15 June 2010 promoted to the rank of superintendent. The figures speak for themselves. The number of gardaí in this country, almost, 14,600, is at an all time high.

As I have stated time and again, I will do my level best as Minister to ensure the highest number of gardaí are available to the general public. I have also stated that there has been too much criticism from Members of the opposite side of the House who want to have their cake and eat it.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is responsible for the provision of front line services.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Fine Gael are at it day-in day-out. It continues to criticise the Government for reducing this and that but does not come up with suggestions in terms of what should be cut. I decided when I took up this portfolio that I would have to cut in some areas in order to prioritise crime and that is what I have done. Investment in respect of garda numbers, CAB and addressing gangland crime has increased to the detriment of investment in other areas. I must do more with less. That is the reality in terms of the financial circumstances in which we find ourselves. If we are taking in only €32 billion and are spending €55 billion, we must close this gap. We must also ensure we spend smarter the €32 billion we are taking in and concentrate on priorities. I have decided to prioritise the fight against crime, which requires more investment in the Garda Síochána.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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In the context of the new panel and new recruitment campaign, what is the status of those who have already passed their examinations and who, in some cases, have completed the interview process and whose position is on hold owing to the embargo? Where stand these people in so far as the panel is concerned?

I accept what the Minister had to say in regard to garda levels. Where stands any targeted programme of civilianisation in terms of the Minister's statement in his reply that there are hundreds of civilian officers augmenting the Garda Force? Is there a target in respect of a reduction in the ratio of civilian to ranked member? On the community garda campaign - currently approximately 6% of the force comprises community gardaí - is there a target in terms of increasing those numbers in the context of the current recruitment campaign?

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On the existing panel, I understand approximately 150 applicants are available for recruitment. These are trainees who are called strictly in order as placed on the panel. There is also an additional 200 people on the panel who have not completed medical, physical and vetting tests. The issue of how many will be brought on from this panel to the new one is dependent on the number of retirements this year. It is anticipated that fewer people than retired last year will retire this year but we will not know this until the end of the year. It is our intention to keep garda levels as high as possible.

On civilianisation, there were virtually no civilians working with the Garda Síochána five or six years ago. Currently, there are 2,100 civilians in this regard, which is a significant proportion in comparison with the number of Garda Síochána. Obviously, the drive is to ensure that as many garda as possible are out on the streets and not in the Garda barracks. However, it will never be the case that no gardaí will be in the garda stations because there is obviously specialised work that can be done only by Garda Síochána owing to security issues. This requires a continuation of gardaí working hand-in-hand with civilian staff in Garda stations.

On community gardaí, I do not know the proportion of community gardaí but there has been a significant ramping up of the numbers of community garda.

As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Commissioner and I have relaunched the community policing model . I understand that at the last count, the number of dedicated community gardaí whose only job is to do community work was well over 1,000. Every garda who is out on the beat is regarded as a community garda. The number of specialised community gardaí is well over 1,000.