Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 857: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if policing levels are being re-evaluated in Wexford in view of recent Department figures which showed the county to have the third highest level of gun crime in the country, after Limerick and Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11630/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength (all ranks) of the Wicklow/Wexford Garda Division on 28 February, 2007 and on 29 February, 2008 (the latest date for which figures are readily available) was 346 and 363 respectively. This represents an increase of 17 (or 4.9%) in the number of Gardaí allocated to the Division since that date.

As the Deputy is aware, an unprecedented increase in the strength of the Garda Síochána is continuing in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, with an intake of approximately 1,100 recruits per annum. In addition, there is a significant expansion under way in the number of civilian staff being made available to the Commissioner.

I recently approved the 2008 Garda Annual Policing Plan and laid it before the Houses of the Oireachtas. It sets out the Commissioner's proposals to realign the boundaries of Garda Divisions around the country to make them coterminous with local authority boundaries. Included in this is a plan to establish a Garda Division in Wexford. The planned changes will bring about greater efficiencies and effectiveness in facilitating the establishment and functioning of Joint Policing Committees. A detailed programme of work is currently being developed by An Garda Síochána to implement these planned changes for various Garda Divisions. This programme of work will also examine the geographical areas of district and sub-district stations arising from the regional and divisional boundary realignments set out in the plan and will set out a timetable for the establishment of the new divisions.

The policing priorities which I set for the Gardaí for 2008 under the Garda Síochána Act, 2005 have been reflected in the Policing Plan for 2008. The first priority deals with targeting gun crime, organised crime and drug trafficking. It refers to the use in particular of specialist units and targeted operations such as Operation Anvil, profiling, intelligence gathering and threat assessments in relation to individuals and groups involved in this type of crime.

It is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner to allocate personnel throughout the Force taking everything into account. In that regard, the needs of the Garda Division referred to by the Deputy will be fully considered by the Commissioner within the overall context of the needs of Garda Divisions throughout the country.