Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 471: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 432 of 16 May 2006, the number of additional Gardaí appointed to each of the stations in the Kildare and Carlow division over the past five years; the opening hours of each of these stations; the number of Gardaí in each station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24748/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána increased to a record 12,641 (all ranks) on Thursday 8 June with the attestation of 273 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,939 (or 18.1%) in the personnel strength of the Force during that period.

I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Gardaí (all ranks) stationed in the Carlow/ Kildare Division as at 31 December, 2000 and 26 June, 2006 was as set out in the following table.

The personnel strength (all ranks) of the Carlow/Kildare Division as at 31 December, 1997 and 26 June, 2006 was 281 and 358, respectively. This represents an increase of 77 (or 27%) in the number of Garda personnel assigned to the Carlow/Kildare Division during that period. Garda management also informs me that the official opening hours of each Garda Station in the Carlow/Kildare Division are as set out in the following table.

Garda management state that the opening hours as set out in the table are dependent on the availability and rostered tour of duty of the members attached to each station.

I should add that the current recruitment drive to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members, in line with the commitment in the 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 this year. The first group of newly attested Gardaí under this accelerated recruitment programme came on stream in March and the second such group did so on the 8th of June. Further tranches of approximately 275 newly attested Gardaí will follow every 90 days thereafter until the programme is complete. 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 Carlow/Kildare Division will be given the fullest consideration.