Written answers

Thursday, 7 December 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Garda Deployment

7:00 pm

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 53: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of the new Garda recruits employed since the establishment of the Government in 2002 deployed to each Garda division and district; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41877/06]

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

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 An Garda Síochána increased to a record 13,000 on Thursday, 16 November, 2006, following the attestation of 299 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an increase of 2,298 (or 21.5%) in the personnel strength of the Force during that period. The induction of 280 new Garda recruits to the Garda College on 6 November, 2006 resulted in a combined strength, of both attested Gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,137. The Garda Budget now stands at €1.3 billion, a 13% increase on 2005 and an 85% increase since 1997 in real terms.

Garda training involves 5 phases over a two year period. Phases I, III and V take place in the Garda College, Templemore and phases II and IV take place at Garda Stations to which trainees are assigned. Garda trainees are attested to the Force, and become serving members of the Force, on successful completion of phase III of their training. Therefore the serving strength of An Garda Síochána at any given time includes those who have been attested following completion of phase III of their training but have not yet formally graduated. Graduation takes place following the fifth and final phase of training.

I have been further informed that the number of Garda recruits who have graduated from the Garda Training College and the number of new members who have been attested to the Force since 6 June, 2002 is 2,418 and 3,174, respectively.

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. As will be seen from the table, the intake of recruits to the Garda Training College has doubled in comparison to the average of previous years to 1,125 and 1,114, in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

20022003200420052006
Intake to Garda Training College5466905191,1251,114

It is planned to induct a further 1,100 recruits in 2007 which will result in a fully attested strength of 14,000 by 2008. The Garda Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.