Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána stations and the number of gardaí in each station in Counties Sligo and Leitrim on 31 March 2011 and on 31 March 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9998/16]

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 continuing review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner, in summary, that there were 30 stations on 31 March 2011 with 324 members assigned to the Sligo/Leitrim Division. On 31 March 2016 there were 17 stations in the Sligo/Leitrim Division with293Gardaí assigned across the Division.As the Deputy will understand, there is a significant amount of information available down to station / sub-district level which he has requested. For ease of reference I have provided a breakdown of the detailed information requested overleaf for the record.

This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. Key to achieving this goal is the commitment in the Programme for Government, "A Programme for a Partnership Government" tocontinue the ongoing accelerated Garda recruitment programme with a view to increasing Garda numbers to 15,000.

As the Deputy will be aware, since the Garda College reopened in September 2014, a total of 700 Garda trainees have been recruited with a further 450 planned to be recruited during the remainder of this year. So far 395 of the new Garda trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream uniform duties nationwide. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that 5 newly attested Gardaí have been assigned to Sligo/Leitrim Garda Division.

It is expected that a further 300 trainees will attest by the end of this year which, taking account of projected retirements, will bring Garda numbers to around the 13,000 mark.

We must, I believe, endeavour to make more rapid progress than this to reach our target of 15,000 and I will be engaging with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in relation to increasing the planned annual intake this year and in coming years.

Sligo/Leitrim Division 31 March 2016

Sligo/Leitrim Division 31 March 2011