Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 895: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of Garda reservists in County Kildare; the stations at which they are located; the number of reservists in training; the plans he has to extend the reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30256/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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At 31 August 2008, there were 254 attested Reserve Gardaí and 121 Reserve trainees nationally. There are three attested Reserve Gardaí in Kildare allocated to Newbridge (1) and Naas (2) respectively. Eight trainees who are completing Phase IV training will be assigned to Naas. The Agreed Programme for Government has set a target strength for the Reserve at 10% of the full-time strength of the force. In the Annual Policing Plan for 2008 the Garda Commissioner has set a target of recruiting 270 Reserve members this year. As the Garda Reserve depends on volunteers who undertake their training and other duties during their free time, it is difficult to predict how many people will commence training in any particular period. However, I can assure the Deputy that the Garda Commissioner is making every effort to reach the recruitment target.

The ongoing marketing campaign to recruit members to the Garda Reserve involves local media interviews, radio advertisements, cinema advertisements, public transport advertisements and exhibition stands at events such as the Ploughing Championships, the Young Scientist of the Year Awards and FÁS Opportunities. The Garda Reserve featured on the RTE Crime Call programme and a promotional DVD was commissioned and forwarded to all second level schools in the country. 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.