Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 381: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of community gardaí allocated to and working in Dublin 15; the number of gardaí allocated to Dublin 15; the average number of gardaí per shift in Dublin 15 including community gardaí; the number of vehicles allocated to gardaí in Dublin 15; the number of vehicles allocated for active duty at weekends; and the number of gardaí working at Blanchardstown Garda station. [37834/05]

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 Dublin metropolitan region west division as at 31 December 1997 was 502, including all ranks. The personnel strength of the Dublin metropolitan region west division as at 1 December 2005 was 694, including all ranks. This represents an increase of 192 or 38.24% in the number of personnel allocated to the Dublin metropolitan region west division.

I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of the community policing unit attached to Blanchardstown Garda station as at 18 November 2005 was 18, including all ranks.

Garda management states that the personnel strength of Blanchardstown Garda station as at 31 December, 1997 was 89, including all ranks. The personnel strength of Blanchardstown Garda station as at 1 December, 2005 was 170, including all ranks. This represents an increase of 81 or 91% in the number of personnel allocated to Blanchardstown Garda station.

Garda management also states that for security and operational reasons it is not Garda policy to disclose the number of personnel on duty in any given area over a specific period.

The number of vehicles allocated to Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, are set out in the following table:

The figures include vehicles which are temporarily allocated for operational reasons to the Blanchardstown area.

Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy are constantly monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources.

With regard to Garda resources generally, the accelerated recruitment campaign to reach a record force strength of 14,000, in line with the commitment in the 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 draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources and, in this context, the needs of Dublin 15 will be fully considered.