Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí assigned to the Dublin metropolitan district at the year end for each of the past ten years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15691/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I presume that the Deputy is referring to the Dublin metropolitan region.

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

The personnel strength, all ranks, of the Dublin metropolitan region as at 31 December, 1996 to 2005, inclusive, is as set out in the table hereunder:

The Dublin metropolitan region's resources are further augmented by a number of Garda national units such as the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the Criminal Assets Bureau and other specialised units which operate extensively, but not exclusively, in Dublin.

Care must be taken in any comparison of Garda strength at fixed dates, such as the end of each year. For example, the figure of 3,749 for the end of 2005 does not include 50 personnel from uniform service in Dublin stations who were transferred to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations in November 2005 to deal exclusively with criminals involved in gun crime in the Dublin metropolitan region. Nor does it include a further nine personnel who were allocated to the other national units.

It is also the case that comparisons using different dates can yield different results. For example, Garda strength in the Dublin metropolitan region last month was 3,801 compared to 3,685 in March of 2005, an increase of 116. The figure for last month does not include the 59 personnel transferred to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations and other national Dublin-based units.

There are also 147 officers in the Dublin traffic unit and 99 officers in Dublin command and control. This brings the overall strength in the Dublin region to over 4,040 personnel. This does not the include hundreds of officers in special units who operate extensively, but not exclusively in Dublin.

A particular factor in fluctuations in Garda strength is the fact that while Garda retirements are spread throughout the year, Garda attestations, where recruits become sworn members of the force, only take place four times a year, leading to step increases in strength. Clearly, comparisons of strength can vary significantly depending on how close to an attestation they are made. What matters is the trend in Garda strength and that trend is now significantly upward. Garda strength is now more than 16% higher than at June 1997. In addition, the recruitment drive to increase the strength of the force to 14,000 members, in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government, is fully on target. This will lead to a combined strength of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of the year.

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 Dublin metropolitan region will be given the fullest consideration.