Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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777. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of vacancies at all ranks in An Garda Síochána awaiting to be filled at the present time; the extent to which such posts have been filled in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46252/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts, the various Garda national units and of course Garda Headquarters. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. This necessary ongoing flexibility in the distribution of personnel means that it is not feasible to identify specific vacancies within specific areas of the Force.

At a national level, sanction has been given by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for a maximum strength in each rank, based on the objective of a total strength of 13,000, and these strengths for ranks above Garda rank are given in the table below, together with current actual strength (as of the end of September 2013). Where current actual strength is below the approved maximum strength, the Garda Commissioner is making the necessary arrangements to have the balance of posts filled through promotion competitions.

* to be reduced to 8 on the appointment in 2014 of an Executive Director of HRM