Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of extra gardaí which will be provided in the year 2005 that will be additional to those who retire or take early retirement; if he is satisfied that there is a sufficient number of gardaí on the beat in view of the ongoing robberies and general violent activity in the Border area; if he will take further steps to utilise civilian personnel for office duty to make sure that all possible gardaí are available for what they are best trained for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10424/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel that the personnel, strength of the Garda Síochána as of 7 April 2005 was 12,209 — all ranks.

It is anticipated that a total of 411 recruits will be attested to the Garda Síochána during the remainder of 2005. It is also planned that a total of 1,100 recruits will be inducted to the Garda college during 2005. The first intake of 275 recruits to the Garda college commenced training in the week beginning 7 February 2005.

It is projected that approximately 321 members — all ranks — of the Garda Síochána will leave the organisation between 7 April 2005 and 31 December 2005. This figure includes a total of 20 gardaí— all ranks — who are due to retire from the force on compulsory grounds between 7 April 2005 and 31 December 2005.

Current projections indicate that the total strength of the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 2005 will be 12,299 — all ranks. Taking into account the projected number of retirements, the new recruitment drive will lead to a combined organisational strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 as early as end 2006. I am further informed that local management is satisfied with current resource levels in the Border divisions, which are regularly reviewed.

As regards civilianisation, which is but one aspect of making more gardaí available on the streets, my Department is reviewing the position with the Department of Finance and Garda management as to how it will proceed further with the civilianisation programme in the context of the overall constraints of civil and public service numbers. The purpose of the review is to enable to the greatest extent possible the redeployment of desk-bound gardaí from administrative and technical functions to operational duties. This is in keeping with the general policy that civilianisation allows certain jobs to be done at a more economic cost and allows gardaí to focus on work more suited to their training and skills, thereby increasing overall operational capacity within the Garda Síochána.