Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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275. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána on 1 January in each of the past ten years, including details of the numbers in training on those dates. [4394/16]

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 total number of Gardaí and the number of student Garda at the end of 31 December 2006 to 31 December 2015 are as set out in the following tables.

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. 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.