Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 320: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the analysis conducted most recently on Garda to population ratios; the breakdown by district for 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the strength of the Garda Síochána; the number of students in Templemore; the number of student gardaí in training in garda stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28655/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of 31 May 2009, the latest date for which figures are readily available, the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána was 14,426. The total number of Student Gardaí in Templemore was 485 (211 in Phase I and 274 in Phase III) and the number of Students training in Garda Stations was 389 (Phase II).

As detailed in the Policing Plan of An Garda Síochána for 2008, the Commissioner proposed to realign Garda Divisional boundaries to make them coterminous with local authority boundaries. As a consequence of this work, the geographical areas of Garda district and sub-district stations were also realigned, thus ensuring that service delivery to the community was maintained to a high standard. The first of these realignments took place in June 2008 and, therefore, it is not possible to give the ratio of population to Garda strength comparisons for 2008 or 2009. The information in relation to 2007 is contained in Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 22 October 2008.