Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is now in a position to provide the information requested in Question No. 179 of 1 March 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14141/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I was not in a position to provide all the information requested in relation to Question No. 179 of 1 March 2006 at that time. I have now been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the Garda personnel strength, all ranks, of the Carriage Office as at 31 December 1998 to 2005, inclusive, was as set out in the following table,

I am glad to see the reduction in number of gardaí assigned to the Carriage Office as this means more officers are assigned to front line duties. I am anxious that this trend continues across the remit of the force. Garda personnel assigned 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 the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.

I have also been informed by the Garda authorities 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.

Moreover, 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 Carriage Office will be fully considered.