Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to support the Garda Reserve and ensure that its strength reaches and is maintained at 10% of the Garda strength. [19309/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As at 30th April 2008 there were 51 Reserve trainees and 261 attested Reserve Gardaí. The Agreed Programme for Government has set a target strength for the Reserve at 10% of the strength of full-time members of the force. Garda Reserve members undertake their training and other duties on a voluntary basis during their free time. As a result it is not possible to predict how many people will commence training in any particular period. In the Annual Policing Plan for 2008 the Garda Commissioner has set a target of recruiting 270 members this year. The next class of Reserve trainees will commence training on the 7th of June.

Recruitment is continuing and regular promotional efforts to attract potential Reserve members are being undertaken. In February and March 2007, the Garda Commissioner appointed a Chief Superintendent and Superintendent to co-ordinate the management and marketing of the Garda Reserve. There is an on-going marketing campaign to recruit members to the Garda Reserve. This is achieved through local media interviews, radio advertisements, cinema advertisements, DART advertisements and Dublin Bus advertisements. There were also stands taken at the Ploughing Championships, the Young Scientist of the Year Awards and FÁS Opportunities in Croke Park.

There was a feature on the Garda Reserve on the RTE Crime Call programme. A promotional DVD was commissioned and forwarded to all second level schools in the country. This DVD was transmitted on the City Channel for three months. Promotional material on the Garda Reserve has been forwarded to each District Officer in the country to be disseminated to post offices, libraries, leisure centres, shopping centres, banks and credit unions in their District, as well as to local residents associations, neighbourhood watch groups and community alert groups. I cannot predict exactly when the full complement of Garda Reserve members will be reached but I can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána have advised me that they are making every effort to reach it and they have my total support in that objective.