Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the strength of the Garda in Ballyfermot; and the proposals the Garda Commissioner has for increasing the complement (details supplied). [12603/06]

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, 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 been further informed that the personnel strength, all ranks, of Ballyfermot Garda station as at 31 December 1997 and 28 February 2006 was 72 and 81, respectively. This represents an increase of 9, or 12.5%, in the number of Garda personnel allocated to Ballyfermot Garda station during that period. In addition, the policing of the Ballyfermot sub-district is further augmented by additional patrols by gardaí from the divisional crime task force, the divisional traffic unit and the district unit as part of their regular duties.

It is the responsibility of Garda management to allocate personnel among and within divisions on a priority basis in accordance with the requirements of different areas. The allocation of such resources is determined by a number of factors including demographics, administrative functions, crime trends and other operational policing needs. The Garda authorities state that personnel assignments throughout the country, 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 general public.

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 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 be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and in this context the needs of the Ballyfermot Garda station will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda stations throughout the country.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 208: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of extra or new gardaí that have been deployed in the Tralee, Listowel and Castleisland divisions since 2002; and the comparative figures covering those years. [12604/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I presume that the Deputy is referring to the Tralee, Listowel and Castleisland Garda districts which form part of the Kerry division. I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which 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. The combined personnel strength of Tralee, Listowel and Castleisland Garda stations on 20 March 2006 was 128, compared to 106 in June 1997. This represents an increase of 22, or 20.75%, over the June 1997 figures.

I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the number of gardaí, all ranks, allocated to the Tralee, Listowel and Castleisland Garda districts from 31 December 2002-04, inclusive, and as at 20 March 2006 was as set out in the following table:

The division'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.

It is the responsibility of Garda management to allocate personnel among and within divisions on a priority basis in accordance with the requirements of different areas. The allocation of such resources is determined by a number of factors including demographics, administrative functions, crime trends and other operational policing needs. The Garda authorities state that personnel assignments throughout the country, 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 general public.

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 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 be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and in this context the needs of the Garda districts referred to by the Deputy will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda districts throughout the country.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí stationed at Clontarf, Coolock, Santry and Raheny stations in 2005; and the numbers in 2006. [12605/06]

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, 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 been further informed that the number of gardaí, all ranks, stationed at Clontarf, Coolock, Santry and Raheny Garda stations as at 31 December 2005 and 29 March 2006 was as set out in the following table:

Therefore, the total number of gardaí assigned to these stations as of 29 March 2006 was 340. This compares to a total of 291 gardaí serving in these stations in June 1997. This is an increase of 17% from when I took up office in 2002. The division'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.

It is the responsibility of Garda management to allocate personnel among and within divisions on a priority basis in accordance with the requirements of different areas. The allocation of such resources is determined by a number of factors including demographics, administrative functions, crime trends and other operational policing needs. The Garda authorities state that personnel assignments throughout the country, 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 general public.

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 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 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 stations throughout the country.