Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 500: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the personnel strength of all ranks of the Garda Síochána in the Carlow and Kildare division as of 1 November 2005; and the strength nationally on the same date. [32487/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of the Carlow-Kildare division as at 1 November 2005 was 332 — all ranks. The personnel strength of the Carlow-Kildare division as at 31 December 1997 was 292 — all ranks. This represents an increase of 40 or 13% in the number of personnel allocated to the Carlow-Kildare division since that date. I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána as at 1 November 2005 was 12,313 — all ranks.

In relation to Garda resources generally, 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 Carlow-Kildare division will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the country.