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 resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps 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.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of Gardaí assigned to the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) North Garda Division on the 31 December 2006 - 2015 and on the 29 February 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, are as set out in the following table.

The Deputy will appreciate that it is vital that An Garda Síochána is renewed in order to ensure that it has the capacity to provide effective and visible policing throughout the country. Since the Garda College reopened in September 2014, there have been seven intakes of Garda Trainees giving a total intake of 700, with a further 450 to be recruited this year. This does not, of course, take account of any proposals that may be agreed as part of the ongoing discussions on the formation of a Government.

So far 395 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned by the Garda Commissioner to Garda stations throughout the country to carry out mainstream uniform policing duties. I have been informed that of these, 29 have been assigned to the DMR North Garda Division. I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí.