Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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99. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the details of the new regional support unit within An Garda Síochána, including the resources and the number of personnel she will allocate to it. [12517/16]

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 resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that the allocation of Gardaí is continually monitored and reviewed taking into account all relevant factors, including crime trends, demographics and security assessments relating to the area in question so as to ensure that optimal use is made of Garda resources.

I am advised by the Garda Commissioner that the deployment of Garda armed units is directed at highly dangerous threats, whether from organised crime or terrorism. An Garda Síochána’s primary armed special intervention capacity is in the Emergency Response Unit, which forms part of the Special Detective Unit. The Garda armed response capability is supported by a number of regionally located and deployed Armed Support Units which can provide mobile armed intervention support in extreme incidents in regional locations.

At the request of the Commissioner earlier this year, the Government moved decisively to strengthen Garda resources to deal with gang-related crime in the Dublin area. Funding was approved for the establishment of a dedicated Armed Support Unit for the Dublin Metropolitan Region given the identified need to enhance armed support capability in Dublin and to free up the resources of the Emergency Response Unit.

The Dublin Armed Support Unit is, as a matter of priority, in the process of being set up and trained and I understand that it will have a complement of some fifty five Garda members. Steps are also being taken to ensure that the Unit is fully equipped and to upgrade the equipment available to the Emergency Response Unit and the Special Detective Unit.