Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1159: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí allocated to Pearse Street Garda station on 1 January 2006; the number engaged in local policing duties; the number engaged in community policing; the number engaged specifically in working on drugs-related crimes; the number engaged in specialist duties; the number assigned to diplomatic and governmental protection duties; the number assigned to citywide response units; the number assigned to administrative duties; the number assigned to specialist duties carried out by Pearse Street Garda station covering the patrol areas of other Garda stations; the average number of gardaí on duty in any particular shift; the number of man-days lost to sick leave during 2005 in Pearse Street Garda station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1586/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of Pearse Street Garda station as at 1 January 2006 was 253, all ranks. Garda management further states that Garda personnel assigned to Garda stations in the Dublin metropolitan region are attached to uniform, detective, task force, special resource, mountain bike, community policing and drugs units. Resources are augmented from within each district or division, as required. Garda management further states that for security and operational reasons it is not Garda policy to disclose the number of personnel on duty in any particular area over a specific period of time. The total number of man-days lost to sick leave in Pearse Street Garda station in 2005 was 1,108. The timescale for achieving the target strength of 14,000 members of the Garda Síochána in line with the commitment in an Agreed Programme for Government remains as when I announced the Government approval in October 2004 for my proposals to achieve this objective. The phased increase in the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 will lead to a combined strength, of both attested Gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of this year, with a fully attested strength of 14,000 by 2008. As part of the accelerated recruitment campaign to facilitate this process, 1,125 garda recruits were inducted to the Garda College during 2005. The college will induct 1,100 recruits this year and a further 1,100 in 2007, by way of intakes to the Garda College of approximately 275 recruits every quarter. This project is fully on target and will be achieved.