Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí based in Bray, County Wicklow for the years 1997, 2000 and January 2006. [8303/06]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí based in Wicklow town, Arklow town and Blessington, County Wicklow for the years 1997, 2000 and January 2006. [8304/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together.

I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength — all ranks — of the Garda stations at Bray, Wicklow town, Arklow and Blessington as at 31 December 1997 and 2000 and as at 31 January 2006 was as set out in the following table.

It is the responsibility of the divisional officer to allocate personnel within his-her division. The allocation of such resources throughout the division is determined by a number of factors including demographics, administrative functions, crime trends and other operational policing needs. Garda management continues to appraise the policing and administrative strategy employed within each division with a view to ensuring an effective Garda service is maintained.

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. 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.

In this regard, I am informed by the Garda authorities that the first incremental increase of newly attested gardaí due to the programme of accelerated recruitment into the Garda Síochána will take place on the 16 March 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 Garda stations referred to by the Deputy will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the country.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí stationed in Westport, County Mayo, for each of the past five years; and the number in each rank including sergeants, detectives, inspectors, ordinary Garda members and so on. [8305/06]

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 — all ranks — of Westport Garda station as at 31 December 2000 to 2005, inclusively, was as set out in the following table.

It is the responsibility of the divisional officer to allocate personnel within his or her division. The allocation of such resources throughout the division is determined by a number of factors, including demographics, administrative functions, crime trends and other operational policing needs. Garda management continues to appraise the policing and administrative strategy employed within each division with a view to ensuring an effective Garda service is maintained. The timescale for achieving the target strength of 14,000 members of the Garda 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 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. As part of the accelerated recruitment campaign to facilitate this record expansion, 1,125 Garda recruits were inducted to the Garda college during 2005. The college will induct a further 1,100 recruits this year and again 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. In this regard, I am informed by the Garda authorities that the first incremental increase of newly attested gardaí under the programme of accelerated recruitment will take place on 16 March. The Garda Commissioner will draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources and, in this context, the needs of Westport Garda station will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda stations throughout the country.