Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of civilians employed by An Garda Síochána; the duties for which they are responsible; the number of Gardaí freed up for ordinary service in each of Swords, Balbriggan, Malahide and Skerries stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13465/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of full and part time civilian staff assigned to An Garda Síochána as at 31 March 2008 was 2,461.

Civilian staff continue to be recruited to An Garda Síochána in a wide range of services in the administrative, professional, technical and industrial areas. These include, for example, administrators, crime analysts, photographers and ICT experts.

A dedicated Human Resource Directorate has been established to serve the needs of civilians in An Garda Síochána and to promote an extensive programme of civilianisation.

The Commissioner is committed to developing the civilian support function within the Garda Síochána to the level of best international practice and will continue to work to drive the civilianisation programme forward.

Within the Dublin Metropolitan Region, 77 Gardaí have been released, so far, to operational duty, as a direct result of additional recruitment of civilians in that region.