Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda recruits assigned to each Garda station in counties Carlow and Kilkenny in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16547/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The distribution of Garda personnel, including the allocation of newly attested gardaí, is the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. Notwithstanding this, I have provided in tabular form the detailed information requested by the Deputy. He will be aware from the replies to his previous questions that we are anxious to ensure the acting Commissioner will be able to provide additional resources across all divisions, including Kilkenny and Carlow, as new Garda recruits come on stream.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

I am informed by the acting Garda Commissioner that, as of 28 February, the latest date for which figures are available, the strength of the Kilkenny-Carlow division was 327. When appropriate, the work of local gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the armed support units, the National Economic Crime Bureau and the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

The Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance for citizens and deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, including 15,000 Garda members. Real, tangible progress has been made towards this goal. Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017, a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016.

The Deputy will be aware that in 2010 a previous Government closed the Garda College and imposed a moratorium. These measures imposed a negative impact on Garda numbers across all divisions and the legacy of these decisions continues to have consequences for policing. When it had brought about an early exit from the bailout and stabilised the public finances, the then Government reopened the college in September 2014. Just under 1,800 recruits have since attested as members of An Garda Síochána and are performing mainstream duties nationwide, 53 of whom have been assigned to the Kilkenny-Carlow division.

I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce. This year a further 800 new Garda recruits will enter the Garda College. In total, 800 Garda trainees are scheduled to attest during the year, 200 of whom attested last month. Furthermore, Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. We are rebuilding the organisation and providing the acting Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of gardaí. Undoubtedly, the ongoing recruitment process will support all Garda activities, enhance visibility within communities and enable the acting Commissioner to provide additional resources across every Garda division, including Kilkenny-Carlow, as new Garda recruits continue to come on stream.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for taking this question. We are on the run-in. As I have raised questions about this matter many times before, I will not go into all of the detail. Will the Minister update the House on the position in the provision of CCTV systems? It was agreed between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in the programme for Government that CCTV cameras would be erected at all motorway junctions. As I have not received a satisfactory answer to this question before, I will ask it again. Can it be done? Will a timescale be set? Gangs are travelling from the main cities to rural Ireland via motorways in order to rob people and are on the motorway again within ten, 20 or 30 minutes. The only way to stop them is via the use of CCTV cameras. When will they be erected? What will the cost be and will it be done before the next general election?

Community policing is also important. I keep emphasising that every Garda station should have a community liaison officer. As people trust community liaison officers, the more we have, the better.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to ask my questions.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am anxious to ensure all interested groups in urban and rural areas will take advantage of the grants scheme available in my Department. Last year I announced an annual sum of €1 million for three years which would be ringfenced for community CCTV system grants. The number of applications to date is lower than I wished for.

I ask all Deputies, including Deputy Aylward, to spread the word that these grants are available. Support and guidance is also available to help interested groups apply for the funding. I strongly encourage interested groups to contact my Department for assistance. We have set up a dedicated email address for this purpose, which is communitycctv@justice.ie. Bearing in mind that all applications approved to date have been from local authorities, any local authorities that have not yet applied may also find it useful to consider consulting their counterparts in other areas. I am not sure if I have an application from Kilkenny but I have an application approved for the adjoining county of Wexford. I am anxious to ensure - I see three rural Deputies in the House - that we provide the appropriate level of information to community groups to allow them to make the application. Grant aid and assistance in my Department will be up to €40,000 per application.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We agreed we would take one supplementary question. Otherwise I will have to deprive Deputy Casey of his opportunity.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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All I want to say is the CCTV I am talking about is not the community CCTV in villages. I am talking about CCTV coming off motorways which should be sponsored by TII and the Government.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The final question-----

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Garda scheme is being progressed across many areas, as is the roll-out of the automatic number plate recognition introduced by An Garda Síochána which has been fitted to a number of Garda vehicles. It is being used day and night throughout the country, including in Kilkenny. It is assisting in the prevention and detection of crime. Garda cars, particularly new ones, are being fitted with this device which will allow them to recognise automatically the number of a car in the area.