Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

419. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda stations in the Dundalk and north Louth area. [6262/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

420. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí stationed in each station in the Dundalk and north Louth area. [6263/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

421. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí stationed in each barracks in Dundalk and north Louth for each year since 2008. [6264/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

422. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí currently based in the Dundalk and north Louth area. [6265/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

423. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí stationed in the Dundalk and north Louth area each year since 2008. [6266/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

424. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí needed to bring Garda strength in the Dundalk and north Louth area up to acceptable levels. [6267/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

425. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community-based gardaí in the Dundalk and north Louth area. [6268/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

426. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community officers in each station in the Dundalk and north Louth area; and the areas they cover. [6269/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

429. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí tasked with tackling drug crime in the Dundalk and north Louth area. [6272/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

430. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí tasked with tackling burglaries in the Dundalk and north Louth area. [6273/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

431. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí tasked with tackling burglaries in the Dundalk and north Louth area each year since 2008. [6274/14]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

434. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied that An Garda Síochaná has sufficient numbers and funding to meet the demands on force in the Dundalk and north Louth area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6277/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 to 426, inclusive, 429 to 431, inclusive, and 434 together.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of all personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. 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.

Senior Garda Management is satisfied that a comprehensive policing service continues to be delivered to the communities in the Louth Division and that current structures in place meet the requirement to deliver an effective and efficient policing service to the community, including in targeting those involved in organised criminal activities.

Details of the number of Gardaí assigned to the Louth Division from 2008 to the end of 2013 inclusive, including those assigned to the Divisional Drugs Unit and to Community Policing are provided in tables at the end of this answer. All members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with enforcing the criminal law whether that involves drug related crime, burglaries or otherwise and of course supporting the community policing ethos of the force.

Local Gardaí in the Louth Division work very closely with their colleagues in national units such as the Garda National Drugs Unit, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the Criminal Assets Bureau to ensure a co-ordinated and effective approach to protecting our communities, individuals and families from the harm and pain caused by criminal activity.

Operation Fiacla has proven to be a robust and effective response to those who seek to prey on law abiding householders and this is borne out by the latest Crime Statistics published by the Central Statistics Office covering the 12 month period up to the third quarter of 2013. These show a welcome reduction of 10.4% in burglary and related offences over the previous 12 months, and continue a trend which has been evident since the introduction of Operation Fiacla.

Operation Fiacla continues to be reviewed and re-focused with a view to identifying and targeting travelling criminals engaged in serious criminal activity, including Robbery, Aggravated Burglary, Burglary and related offences throughout the jurisdiction with individual operations in place under each Regional Assistant Commissioner, including Assistant Commissioner, Northern Region.

Garda (All Ranks)

Dedicated Community Gardaí (All Ranks)

Gardaí assigned to the Garda National Drugs Unit (G.N.D.U.)