Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí stationed in Garda districts (details supplied) in County Limerick for the years 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. [13712/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Garda authorities are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel. They inform me 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 number of gardaí of all ranks stationed in the Bruff, Newcastle West and Askeaton Garda districts of the Limerick division as at 31 December 1997, 2000, and 2002 to 2005, inclusively, was as set out in the following table:

The personnel strength of all ranks of the Limerick division as at 31 December 1997 and 3 April 2006 was 423 and 482, respectively. This represents an increase of 59, or 14%, in the number of gardaí stationed in the Limerick division during that period. In addition, 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 throughout 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 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 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.