Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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114. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the strength of An Garda Síochána will increase over the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3437/16]

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 among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the overall number of personnel available to An Garda Síochána at the end of December 2015 was close to 16,000 comprising 12,817 Gardaí, 953 Garda Reserve members and over 2,000 civilians.

This Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the capacity to provide effective and visible policing throughout the country. A crucial element of the Government's strategy is ensuring ongoing seamless recruitment to renew An Garda Síochána. With this in mind Budget 2016 made provision for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí this year bringing to 1,150 the number of new Gardaí who will have been recruited since the reopening of the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014. Budget 2016 has also provided funding for the recruitment of additional civilians, in particular to develop the Garda ICT investment programme.

To date there have been six intakes of Garda Trainees to the Garda College, giving a total intake of 550 with a further intake provisionally scheduled for 11 April 2016. So far 296 of these new recruits have been fully attested and are undertaking Garda duties in communities nationwide. In order to fulfil the recruitment commitment for 2016 a new recruitment campaign was launched last November. That campaign, which closed on 6 January, has attracted strong interest with in the region of 16,500 applications received by the Public Appointments Service which is organising the competition on behalf of the Garda Commissioner.

It is expected that a further 395 will attest by the end of this year 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.