Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí located in each local drug task force area each year from 1997 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23463/05]

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 local drug task forces were established in 1997 on the basis of certain criteria which considered among other issues, levels of social disadvantage and Garda crime statistics. These criteria ensures that these areas received a high priority in relation to the allocation of Garda resources.

Since the publication of the national drugs strategy in May 2001, resources in Garda stations covering local drug task force areas have been monitored. For the purpose of this process the year 2001 is used as the benchmark year. As can be seen from the table below there was an increase of 17 gardaí assigned to stations covering local drug task force areas for the period covering January 2001 to January 2002, which was the first year of the Government's national drug strategy. The most recent comparison covering May 2005 shows an additional 218 gardaí have been assigned to such stations, compared with January 2001.