Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí stationed in Wicklow-Wexford Garda division during 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13735/06]

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 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, all ranks, stationed in the Wicklow-Wexford Garda division as at 31 December 1997, 2000, 2002-2005, inclusively, and as at 4 April 2006 was as set out in the following table:

This represents an increase of 52, or 19%, in the number of gardaí, all ranks, stationed in the Wexford-Wicklow division during that period.

In addition, the division's resources are further augmented by several 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 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 draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and in this context the needs of the Wicklow-Wexford division will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the country.