Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí stationed in Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary town, Cahir, Fethard and Cashel; the number of extra gardaí allocated to each town listed since 1997; the number of gardaí taken away from each town listed since 1997; and the number of gardaí located in each of the towns listed per thousand citizens. [26598/05]

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, all ranks, of Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary town, Cahir, Fethard and Cashel Garda stations at 31 December 1997 and at 3 October 2005 was as follows:

The personnel strength, covering all ranks, of the Tipperary Garda division at 31 December 1997 was 297. The personnel strength, all ranks, of that division at 3 October 2005 was 318. That represents an increase of 21 or 7.07%, in the number of personnel allocated to the Tipperary division since that date. It is the responsibility of the Garda divisional officer to allocate personnel within his or her division. I am further advised that, as town boundaries do not correlate with Garda sub-district boundaries, the information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of gardaí per thousand population cannot be provided.

Local Garda management reports that resources are augmented from within the division or districts as required. All areas of the division are actively patrolled by district detective units and the divisional traffic unit.

Regarding Garda resources generally, I am very pleased 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 Agreed Programme for Government commitment in that regard. That is a key commitment in the programme for Government, and its implementation will significantly strengthen the operational capacity of the force.

The Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage those additional resources. In that context, the needs of each Garda district within the Tipperary region will be fully considered within the context of the needs of Garda districts throughout the country. Clearly, the additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies 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 the need to increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties very significantly as part of the new Garda traffic corps. One thing that 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.