Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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93. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána each year since 2009; her views that An Garda Síochána has sufficient personnel at present in each Garda division; and her future plans in this regard. [32395/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts; and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.

This Government is committed to the ongoing recruitment of trainee Gardaí, and to this end the first intake since 2009 of new recruits commenced training at the Garda College, Templemore, in September of last year. To date there has been four intakes of Garda Trainees into the Garda College, giving a total intake of 400. A further 150 recruits will enter college by year end, bringing total recruitment of Garda Trainees to 550. So far 290 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána. On attestation, new Probationer Gardaí are assigned to Garda stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner, where they are assigned to mainstream uniform policing duties. I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the strength of An Garda Síochána, including Garda Reserve and civilians, for each year from 31 December 2009 to 31 December 2014 and up to the 31 July 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, are as set out in the following table:

An Garda Síochána strength 2009 - 2015

Year	Strength	Reserve	Civilian
31/12/2009	14,547	478	2,105
31/12/2010	14,377	700	2,098
31/12/2011	13,894	877	2,074
31/12/2012	13,424	991	2,028
31/12/2013	13,093	1,164	2,071
31/12/2014	12,799	1,112	2,054
31/07/2015	12,828	1,032	2,010