Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Garda Strength

11:00 pm

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 406: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí of all ranks who were in the New Ross district, County Wexford on 31 December in each of the years from 1994 to 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12129/06]

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 407: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí of all ranks who were in the Gorey district, County Wexford on 31 December in each of the years from 1994 to 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12130/06]

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí of all ranks who were in the Wexford district, County Wexford on 31 December in each of the years from 1994 to 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12131/06]

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 409: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí of all ranks who were in the Enniscorthy district, County Wexford on 31 December in each of the years from 1994 to 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12132/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 to 409, inclusive, together.

I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of 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.

The personnel strength of all ranks of all ranks of the New Ross, Gorey, Wexford and Enniscorthy Garda districts as at 31 December 1997-2005, inclusive, was as set out in the following table hereunder:

District 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
New Ross 37 40 37 42 41 42 41 41 43
Gorey 63 68 68 69 76 79 78 77 80
Wexford 76 86 88 81 89 87 89 86 90
Enniscorthy 41 43 40 41 44 44 44 45 45

Garda management states that the provision of statistical information prior to December 1997 can only be given on a divisional basis as all statistics gathered prior to this date were taken from local returns provided on a divisional basis. Each district's resources are further augmented by a number of Garda national units such as the Garda national immigration bureau, GNIB, the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, and other specialised units.

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. This project is fully on target and will be achieved.

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. The first incremental increase of newly attested gardaí under the programme of accelerated recruitment took place on 15 March 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 districts referred to by the Deputy will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda districts throughout the country.

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