James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 631: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime statistics for Ballymahon, County Longford for the years 2002 to 2007 inclusive; his views on providing additional full-time gardaí for Ballymahon Garda station, in view of the rapidly expanding population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16490/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Following the submission in 2004 of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, it was decided that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, from the Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act, 2005 consequently makes provision for this and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. Following the setting up of the necessary technical systems and auditing of the data from which the statistics are compiled, the CSO is now compiling and publishing criminal statistics and has published provisional headline crime statistics for the third and fourth quarters of 2006 and for the first quarter of 2007. In addition, it has compiled and published a series of quarterly and annual statistics for the period starting with the first quarter of 2003. I understand that the CSO are examining how the crime statistics published might be expanded and made more comprehensive.

I have requested the CSO to provide the statistics sought by the Deputy directly to him. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength (all ranks) of Ballymahon Garda Station as at 31 May 2007 was 4.

It is the responsibility of the Garda Divisional Officer to allocate personnel within his/her Division. These personnel allocations are determined by a number of factors including demographics, crime trends, administrative functions and other operational policing needs. Such allocations are continually monitored and reviewed along with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy. This ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources, and that the best possible service is provided to the public.

The situation will be kept under review and when additional personnel next become available the needs of Ballymahon Garda Station will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda Stations throughout the country.