Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí in both counties Longford and Westmeath who are specifically assigned to working full-time on drug related issues. [31823/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities, responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the number of gardaí working full-time on drug related issues in the Longford-Westmeath division as at 27 October 2005 was six, all ranks.

The accelerated recruitment campaign to reach a record force strength of 14,000, in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government, is fully on target. This will lead to a combined strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of 2006. The Garda Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and in this context the needs of the Longford-Westmeath division will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the country.