Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the total current number of community gardaí; the total number of gardaí assigned to traffic duty; and if he is satisfied with this balance of assignments. [21618/05]

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 personnel strength of the Garda Síochána as at 21 June 2005 was 12,186, all ranks.

I am further informed that the total number of personnel allocated to community policing duties on a full-time basis as at 21 June 2005 was 459, all ranks, and that the total number of personnel allocated to traffic duties on a full-time basis as at 21 June 2005 was 543, all ranks.

The Deputy will also be aware that the Government has approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members on a phased basis in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government. This is a key commitment in the programme for Government, and its implementation will significantly strengthen the operational capacity of the force. As each cycle of recruit training is completed, the Garda Commissioner will assign these new members to the areas of greatest need with particular regard to certain priorities, which include the traffic corps. All personnel assigned to the new traffic corps will have completed the standard training programme.

I am informed that the strength of the Garda traffic corps over the next four years will rise as set out hereunder:

It should also be noted that all members of the Garda Síochána have responsibility, inter alia, to deal with road traffic and community policing issues as they arise.

The Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage the additional resources that come on stream as the strength of the Garda Síochána increases to 14,000 members. Clearly the additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies in particular areas with a significant drugs problem and a large number of public order offences, but it will be possible to address other priorities as well, such as community policing and the need to very significantly increase, as I have already outlined, the number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties as part of the new Garda traffic corps. One thing I have already promised is that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing. They will have a real impact.