John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 504: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of additional gardaí he intends assigning to Waterford city; when these additional resources will be assigned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35575/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of the Waterford-Kilkenny division as at 31 December 1997 was 305, all ranks. The personnel strength of the Waterford-Kilkenny division as at 18 November 2005 was 348, all ranks. This represents an increase of 43, or 14.09%, in the number of personnel allocated to the Waterford-Kilkenny division since that date.

In regard 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 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 Waterford-Kilkenny division will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the country.