Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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381. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the crime figures for County Meath and the number of gardaí in each of the Garda Síochána stations in County Meath from 2011 to 2015. [6124/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of recorded crime statistics. To be of assistance I have requested the CSO to contact the Deputy directly in relation to the information requested.

The Deputy will appreciate that the deployment of Garda resources, including personnel, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the first instance. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of Meath Garda Division as of 29 February 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 277. The Division is also supported by 33 Garda Reserves and 25 civilians. I am further informed that the number of Gardaí in each station in the Meath Division on 31 December 2011-2015 was as set out in the table below.

As the Deputy is aware, 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 150 commencing training on 11 April 2016. So far 395 of these new recruits have been fully attested and are undertaking Garda duties in communities nationwide.

I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí and in this context 15 Probationer Gardaí have been assigned to the Meath Division.

Meath Garda Division Strength 2011 - 2015