Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of horses acquired for the mounted Garda corps; his plans to increase this number in view of the comments of the PSNI that one mounted officer can be the equivalent of five officers on the beat, following its mounted patrols recently with horses on loan from the Garda Síochána mounted unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5734/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the Garda mounted unit currently has a complement of thirteen horses with plans to increase the unit to its full complement of fifteen horses in the near future.

The Garda mounted unit is a national resource in support of regional policing requirements and was established in March 1998. The current strength of the unit stands at fourteen, all ranks. A competition will commence in the near future to return the strength of the unit to its authorised strength of 18 members, two sergeants and 16 gardaí.