Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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154. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 188 of 13 March 2014, if any of the 55 gardaí that have retired in the Donegal division since 2011 have been replaced; if so the number of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14615/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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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. The objective at all times is to ensure that optimum use is made of Garda resources and that the best possible Garda service is provided to the public. This necessary ongoing flexibility in the distribution of personnel means that it is not feasible to identify specific vacancies within specific areas or Divisions of the Force.

I am informed by the Commissioner that the strength of the Donegal Garda Division at the end of 2011 was 444 and that at the end of February 2014 it was 407 - a difference of 37. The needs of the Donegal Division will be fully considered in the next allocation of probationer Gardaí by the Garda Commissioner. It is envisaged that the first batch of new recruits will enter the training college in Templemore later this year and that they will be attested and assigned to Garda stations in early 2015.