Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí per division; the civilian populations in each division; the crime rates broken down by division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25497/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As of the 30 September last, the latest date for which figures are readily available, the personnel strength of each Garda Division is as follows:

I understand that the Central Statistics Office is currently preparing the Small Area Population Statistics (SAPS) based on the 2006 census. It is not expected that these SAPS figures will be available until mid-November 2007. It is, therefore, not yet possible to provide the population per Garda Division based on the 2006 Census figures.

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 since the third quarter of 2006. 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.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí excluding members of the Reserve Defence Force working on the beat in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford during the night-time shift of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on 31 December 2006, 28 February 2007, 24 May 2007 and 7 October 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25498/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that for security and operational reasons, it is Garda policy not to disclose the number or percentage of personnel on duty at any specific area or over any given period of time.

It is the responsibility of the Garda Divisional Officer to allocate personnel within his or her Division taking everything into account. The situation will be kept under review by the Garda Commissioner and when additional personnel next become available the needs of all Garda Divisions will be fully considered by him within the overall context of the needs of Garda Districts/Divisions throughout the country.