Written answers

Wednesday, 22 June 2016

Department of Justice and Equality

Garda Deployment

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

42. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda stations and the number of gardaí in each in counties Laois and Offaly on 30 April 2011 and on 30 April 2016. [17090/16]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 27 stations on 30 April 2011 with 318 members assigned to the Laois / Offaly Division. On 30 April 2016 there were 24 stations in the Laois / Offaly Division with286Gardaí assigned to 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 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, when the financial crisis hit, the Government of the time introduced a moratorium on recruitment and the four year National Recovery Plan, published in 2010, envisaged a steady reduction in Garda numbers. Thankfully, in a recovering economy, we were able to reopen the Garda College in September 2014, and 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 463 of the new Garda trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream uniform duties nationwide. Another 76 will attest on the 7 July with 150 more to attest in November. I am assured by the Commissioner that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí and that 24 newly attested Gardaí have been assigned to the Laois / Offaly Garda Division to date.

Taking account of projected retirements, the current rate of recruitment will bring Garda numbers to around the 13,000 mark this year. We must, I believe, endeavour to make more rapid progress than this to reach our target of 15,000 and I am 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.

My officials are also engaging with Garda management as a matter of priority in relation to the preparation of a recruitment plan for the next five years that will deliver increased numbers of Garda without compromising the quality of the training and supervision of new recruits.

Division of Laois / Offaly 30 April 2016: Total = 286

DivisionDistrictStation
Members
LAOIS / OFFALYBIRRBANAGHER
5
BIRR Total
42
BIRR
27
CLOGHAN
1
FERBANE
5
KILCORMAC
2
KINNITTY
1
SHINRONE
1
PORTLAOISEABBEYLEIX
19
ARLES
1
BALLYLINAN
2
BORRIS-IN-OSSORY
1
CLONASLEE
1
DURROW
1
MOUNTMELLICK
6
MOUNTRATH
3
PORTARLINGTON
11
PORTLAOISE
103
RATHDOWNEY
2
STRADBALLY
2
PORTLAOISE Total
152
TULLAMORECLARA
3
DAINGEAN
2
EDENDERRY
12
RHODE
1
TULLAMORE
74
TULLAMORE Total
92

Division of Laois / Offaly 30 April 2011: Total = 318

DivisionDistrictStation
Members
Laois / Offaly ABBEYLEIX
26
ARLES
2
BALLACOLLA
1
BALLINAKILL
1
BALLYLINAN
4
BORRIS-IN-OSSORY
1
DURROW
2
RATHDOWNEY
3
ABBEYLEIXTotal
40
BANAGHER
5
BIRR
30
CLOGHAN
1
FERBANE
5
KILCORMAC
2
KINNITTY
1
SHANNONBRIDGE
1
SHINRONE
2
BIRR Total
47
CLONASLEE
2
MOUNTMELLICK
7
MOUNTRATH
3
PORTARLINGTON
14
PORTLAOISE
107
STRADBALLY
1
PORTLAOISETotal
134
CLARA
4
DAINGEAN
1
EDENDERRY
13
RHODE
2
TULLAMORE
77
TULLAMORETotal
97

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.