Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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330. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of Garda Síochána employed, how this compares with previous levels, what she considers the ideal required number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45884/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that as of the 31 October 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available there were 12,866 members of An Garda Síochána. There were also some 988 Garda Reserve members and over 2,000 civilians on the same date. As the Deputy will note the current number of members is similar to the number in 2006 as set out in the following table.

The optimal number of members of An Garda Síochána is a factor of a number of different considerations, including population size and composition, geography, crime trends, the level of civilianisation, etc. Having said that, the Government is committed to on-going seamless recruitment into the future and as the Deputy will be aware, provision has been made in Budget 2016 for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí next year bringing to 1,150 the number of new Gardaí that will be recruited since the reopening of the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014. So far 295 of those new recruits are fully attested and are on the ground in communities nationwide. It is expected that a further 395 will attest by the end of 2016 which, taking account of projected retirements, will bring Garda numbers to around the 13,000 mark. I expect recruitment to continue at or around the current levels for the next number of years having regard to factors such as the level of retirements in any one year. I have also discussed with the Garda commissioner the desirability of a fresh recruitment drive for reserve members in the New Year.

Strength of the Force since 2006

(*October 2015 Garda numbers)