Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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276. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the number of gardaí stationed in Garda Síochána stations in Crumlin village, Sundrive Road and Ballyfermot in Dublin on 1 December in each of the years 2010 to 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44853/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of Gardaí currently stationed in the Garda Stations referred to by the Deputy as at 30 November on each of the years 2010 to 2014 and on the 31 October 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, is as set out in the following table.

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 have been six intakes of Garda Trainees to the Garda College, giving a total intake of 550. So far 295 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána. On attestation, new probationer Gardaí are assigned to stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner, where they are assigned to mainstream uniform policing duties. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that 4 of the new probationer Gardaí have been assigned to Crumlin Garda Station, and 5 each to Sundrive Road and Ballyfermot Garda Stations.

The Deputy will be aware that I announced the opening of a recruitment campaign for new members of An Garda Síochána on 27 November last. This new campaign is necessary to fulfil the Government’s commitment to recruit 600 Gardaí in 2016. The 600 new Gardaí to be recruited next year will bring to 1,150 the total number of new recruits since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014. This ramped-up recruitment underscores the determination of this Government to deliver an effective, responsive police service to protect our communities and respond to emerging crime trends. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) is organising the recruitment competition on behalf of the Garda Commissioner and applications may be made through the PAS website at . The closing date for applications is Tuesday 5 January 2016.