Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of members of the Garda Reserve recruited to date; the stations to which they have been allocated; the number of applicants for the Reserve currently in training; if he is satisfied with the rate of recruitment; when he expects that the full complement of 1,500 will be in place; if restrictions have been placed on recruitment to the Reserve arising from budgetary restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40188/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I believe that the establishment of the Garda Reserve is one of the most progressive innovations in policing in Ireland in recent years. It has strengthened the links between the Garda Síochána and local communities and is a source of local support and knowledge. Full-time and Reserve members are working well together and I believe that the positive impacts made since the establishment of the Reserve in late 2006 bode well for the future of the force.

At 10 November 2008, there were 331 attested Reserve Gardaí and 76 Reserve trainees. The 331 attested members currently operational are assigned to the following stations:

Dublin Metropolitan Region

Pearse St, Kevin Street, Kilmainham, Donnybrook, Store St, Bridewell, Fitzgibbon Street, Clondalkin, Finglas, Lucan, Ballyfermot, Blanchardstown, Ronanstown, Santry, Raheny Swords, Clontarf, Coolock, Ballymun, Balbriggan, Malahide, Howth Crumlin, Sundrive Road, Rathmines, Terenure, Tallaght, Rathfarnham, Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock.

Cork

Mayfield, Bandon, Gurranabraher, Midleton, Fermoy, Anglesea Street, Watercourse Road, Clonakilty, Macroom and Togher.

Other Regions

Sligo, Galway, Tuam, Henry Street Limerick, Ennis, Tralee, Waterford, Tramore, Kilkenny, Wexford, New Ross, Gorey, Enniscorthy, Arklow, Wicklow, Baltinglass, Bray, Newbridge, Celbridge, Naas, Kildare, Carlow, Clonmel, Cahir, Carrick on Suir, Tipperary town, Nenagh, Thurles, Cavan town, Monaghan town, Drogheda, Dundalk, Ashbourne, Trim, Kells, Navan, Castlebar, Westport, Ballina, Mullingar, Longford, Letterkenny, Tullamore, Portlaoise, Carrick on Shannon and Roscommon.

An 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.

Recruitment is ongoing and the Public Appointments Service (PAS) has received 3,729 new applications to join the Reserve already this year up to end October. The PAS hold interviews on a rolling basis at a range of locations around the country. The ongoing public information campaign to recruit members to the Garda Reserve includes indoor and outdoor awareness raising campaigns and radio and TV promotional interviews nationally and locally.