Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is proposed to increase the Garda traffic corps numbers in County Offaly; the location of members currently assigned to the traffic corps in County Offaly; his plans to create new Garda corps locations in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18257/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that in the Laois/Offaly Division there are currently two Sergeants and twelve Gardaí attached to the Traffic Corps based in Portlaoise.

I am also informed that from 3 July, 2006 there will be an additional Sergeant and five Gardaí allocated to the Traffic Corps in the Laois/Offaly Division and they will be based in Tullamore.

As a result of the Government's approval of my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members, the Garda Commissioner will be in a position, as each cycle of recruit training is completed, to assign additional new members to the areas of greatest need with particular regard to certain priorities, including the Traffic Corps. Between now and 2008, the Traffic Corps will increase its numbers to a complement of 1,200 on the following phased basis:

It is intended that by the end of the first half of 2006 the numbers in the Traffic Corps will have increased by 120 and thereafter increased by a further 60 each quarter to reach a total complement of 805 at the end of 2006. The new members will be assigned to Divisions which have been established, as a result of close analysis and evaluation of road safety issues, to be in most need of additional resources to pursue enforcement strategies.