Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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373. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda community officers by Garda division and Garda station throughout the State. [4619/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including community Gardaí, 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 Deputy will be aware that all Gardaí have responsibility, inter alia, to deal with community policing issues as and when they arise. Community policing is the underpinning philosophy and ethos through which An Garda Síochána delivers a service across the country. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the 31 December 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 852 dedicated Community Gardaí across the State and I have arranged to send a detailed table of these directly to the Deputy.