Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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309. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to define the geographical boundary of the area served by Drogheda Garda Síochána station. [6517/16]

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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310. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the Garda Síochána personnel and vehicles typically attributed to Drogheda Garda Síochána station during the weekend period, by shift; and if there are any enhanced weekend resources. [6518/16]

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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311. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the Garda Síochána personnel and vehicles stationed at Drogheda Garda Síochána station on the weekends of 25 to 28 March 2016 and 31 March to 3 April 2016, by shift. [6519/16]

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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312. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 304 of 15 December 2015, how many of the 17 members of An Garda Síochána who have left the Drogheda area since 2010 have been replaced. [6520/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 to 312, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts, and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keep this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.

The Drogheda District forms part of the Louth Division and includes Drogheda, Dunleer and Clogherhead Garda Stations.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that on 29 February 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 95 members assigned to Drogheda Garda station. This compares with 109 in December 2010. There were also 20 Garda Reserves and 11 Civilians attached to the station.

Since the Garda College reopened in September 2014, there have been seven intakes of Garda Trainees, giving a total intake of 700.So far 395 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána. On attestation, new Probationer Gardaí are assigned to Garda stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner, where they are assigned to mainstream uniform policing duties. I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí. I have been informed that of these, 18 have been assigned to the Louth Division.

As of 8 April 2016, the number of vehicles allocated to the Drogheda District is as follows:

For security and operational reasons, it is not the policy of An Garda Síochána to comment on specific deployment of Garda resources.

I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the capacity to provide effective and visible policing throughout the country. A crucial element of the current 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.