Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the Garda traffic corps; the present and proposed strength of same; the number of gardaí in the corps for each year since the inception of the corps; the locations at which members are based; the change in numbers for each year by location since inception and to date in 2009; the number who have left the corps for each such year; if the public service recruitment restrictions will affect their replacement; if there are plans to place the corps under regional or national directors of traffic corps; the cost of the corps for each year since inception; the overtime bill for each quarter since inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19805/09]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of personnel assigned to the Garda traffic corps; when the target of 1,200 members of the Garda traffic corps will be reached; the reason the full 1,200 members have not been appointed to the traffic corps yet; if he has given consideration to an operationally separate Garda traffic corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20046/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 280 together.

I have been informed by the Commissioner that the personnel strength (all ranks) of the Traffic Corps as at the 31st December 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and the 31st March 2009 was as set out on the table below. The personnel strength of the Traffic Corps prior to the 31st December 2005 and the number of Gardaí who have left the Traffic Corps for various reasons including promotion, retirement transfer etc., are not readily available. On the question of the ultimate strength of the Traffic Corps and the Garda strength generally, the moratorium on recruitments and appointments in the Public Service applies to An Garda Síochána. It should be noted however, that it is the responsibility of all members of An Garda Síochána to enforce traffic legislation as and when required.

Each Regional Assistant Commissioner is responsible for the implementation of the Commissioner's Policy on Traffic Policing, contributing to national initiatives developed by Assistant Commissioner, Traffic and liaising with relevant bodies within his/her Region on Traffic matters. The Assistant Commissioner is assisted in fulfilling his / her Traffic policing responsibilities by a Regional Traffic Superintendent, the exception being the Dublin Metropolitan Region where the role is filled by a Chief Superintendent. At the present time it is not considered appropriate to have an operationally separate Garda Traffic Corps.

It is not possible to provide a total costing for the Garda Traffic Corps as members of the Corps are assigned to individual Garda Divisions. As such all costs are charged to the relevant Divisional cost code along with all other Garda operational members within the Division, rather than a separate Traffic Corps cost code. A separate cost code is only used for identifying the costs associated with the Garda National Traffic Bureau (GNTB) which is responsible for the formulation and implementation of traffic policy in An Garda Síochána. The total cost of the GNTB in 2008 was €5.2m.

*The new Divisions of Wexford and Wicklow were established on the 2nd June 2008.

**The new Divisions of Meath and Louth were established on the 30th June 2008.

***The new Divisions of Roscommon/Longford, Galway and Westmeath were established on the 1st January 2009.

In addition to the foregoing, there are currently one Chief Superintendent and two Superintendents attached to Dublin Metropolitan Region Traffic, and one Superintendent attached to each of the other Garda Regions - Eastern Region, Northern Region, Southern Region, South Eastern Region and Western Region.