Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 252: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of officers who joined An Garda Síochána, broken down by year for each year from 1975 to 1980 inclusive; the number of those officers who are still in the force; and the projected number of retirements from the force broken down by year for each year from 2007 to 2010. [5117/07]

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 (all ranks) of An Garda Síochána increased to a record 13,000 following the attestation of 299 new members on Thursday, 16 November, 2006. 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 combined strength (all ranks), of both attested Gardaí and recruits in training as at the 31 December 2006 was 14,068. Furthermore, I should say that in December, 2006 as part of a package of anti-crime measures, the Government approved the continuation of the existing Garda recruitment programme to achieve a total Garda strength of 15,000. The accelerated intake of 275 new recruits per quarter into the Garda College will continue until this target is met. The Garda Budget now stands at €1.4 billion, an 11% increase on 2006 and a 96% increase since 1997 in real terms.

I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the number of entrants into An Garda Síochána from 1975 to 1980 and the number of those members still serving as on 9 February, 2007 was as set out in the table.

The Garda authorities state that the projected number of retirements from the force broken down by each year from 2007 to 2010 is as set out in the table. The data used in the calculation of projections involve a number of variables and are liable to change.