John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 723: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of vacancies for sergeants in the western region Garda division; when these vacancies are to be filled in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31307/09]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 724: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of vacancies for superintendents in the western region Garda division; when these vacancies are to be filled in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31309/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 723 and 724 together.

The personnel strength for the Western Region Garda Division, as at the latest date for which figures are readily available, included 23 at Superintendent rank and 213 at Sergeant rank. This compares with 23 at Superintendent rank and 218 at Sergeant rank at the end of January of this year. A vacancy has recently arisen at superintendent rank in the Western Region. The Commissioner will now be considering how best to address this and other vacancies elsewhere in the Force in the context both of the existing resources available to him and of the need to make an exceptional case for the lifting of the general moratorium on promotions in any particular cases.