Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 283: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that with 2.6% of the population of the State, County Clare has 2.6% of the Garda force; County Tipperary with 3.6% of the population of the State has 3% of the Garda force; County Mayo with 3% of the population of the State has 2.5% of the Garda force; and that Counties Carlow and Kildare with 4.9% of the population of the State have only 3.2% of the Garda force; his views on the fact that, proportionately, the allocation for Counties Carlow and Kildare of gardaí is disproportionately low; and when he intends to correct same. [39847/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda resources, including personnel. 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 and that the best possible service is provided to the public.

With regard to Garda resources generally, the accelerated recruitment campaign of 1,100 Garda recruits each year 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 draw 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.