Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Garda Strength

11:00 pm

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 392: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there are plans to increase the Garda force at Newcastlewest in view of the fact that in the past ten years Garda numbers in Newcastlewest have risen from 24 to 25 while the population has doubled. [11903/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael 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 the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 1997 and 20 March 2006 was 10,702 and 12,445, respectively. This represents an increase of 1,743, or 16.3%, in the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána during that period.

I have also been informed that the personnel strength, all ranks, of Newcastlewest Garda station, County Limerick, as at 28 February 2006 was 27. It is the responsibility of each divisional officer to allocate personnel within his or her division at levels on a priority basis in accordance with the requirements of different areas in the division. The personnel strength, all ranks, of the Limerick division has grown from 423 on 31 December 1997 to 481 on 28 February 2006. This represents an increase of 58, or 13.7%, in that time. 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 personnel assignments to the Newcastlewest district, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources and that the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.

The first incremental increase of newly attested gardaí under the current programme of accelerated recruitment took place on 15 March 2006. I am informed that an additional four gardaí have since been allocated to the Limerick division in conjunction with this incremental increase, with a further five due to be allocated to the division on 18 April.

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 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 of approximately 275 recruits every quarter. This project is fully on target and will be achieved.

Garda management will now draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and in this context the needs of Newcastlewest Garda station will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda stations throughout the Limerick division.

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