David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the employment of civilians to do routine paper work in Garda stations in order to free up gardaí to carry out mainstream policing duties; the number of such civilians employed in Garda stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3811/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the number of full-time equivalent civilian staff employed in An Garda Síochána as at 31st December 2009 was 2,108. The equivalent figure at 31st December 2006 was 1,282. This represents an increase of 826 (or 64.4%) in civilian personnel strength over this period. Civilian staff are involved in the provision of a wide range of important support services in the administrative, professional, technical and industrial areas, including Human Resources, Training and Development, IT and Telecommunications, Finance and Procurement, Internal Audit, Communications, Research and Analysis, Accommodation and Fleet Management, Scene-of-crime support and Medical services.

Civilians at many different grades have been recruited into the Force, and an example of this civilianisation process is that clerical officers were recruited and assigned to positions throughout the country in Garda stations and also in such units as the Garda Central Vetting Unit, Garda Fixed Penalty Office in Thurles, and the Garda Information Services centre in Castlebar. The increased number of civilian support staff has released sworn members who were performing exclusively clerical, administrative or technical duties for operational duties. It has also allowed sworn members who would otherwise have to perform some administrative duties to focus exclusively on front-line policing duties. The civilian support staff may also perform new or expanded administrative, managerial and professional support roles in An Garda Síochána.