Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 651: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of additional gardaí who have been recruited into the traffic corps since the beginning of 2006; the number to be added to the corps in 2006; the number of gardaí within the traffic corps; the existing members and new recruits who have received specialist driving training and who have received advanced driver training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14565/06]

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 of all ranks of An Garda Síochána as at 31 March 2006 was 12,439. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 of all ranks as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737, 16.2%, in the personnel strength of the force during that period.

I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the number of additional gardaí recruited into the Garda traffic corps since 1 January 2006 as at 24 April 2006 was 61 of all ranks, giving a total strength of 630 of all ranks on that date. It is anticipated that a total of 244 gardaí of all ranks will be allocated to the Garda traffic corps in 2006, bringing the total complement of the corps to 805 by the end of the year. Between now and 2008, the traffic corps will increase its numbers to a complement of 1,200. Garda management has been advised by the director of training and development that all existing members and new recruits to the Garda traffic corps have successfully completed the two week standard car driving course.

Garda 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. I should also say that the timescale for achieving the target strength of 14,000 members of the Garda Síochána in line with the commitment in the agreed programme for Government remains as when I announced the Government's approval in October 2004 for my proposals to achieve this objective. The phased increase in the strength of An 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.