Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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105. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number, rank, title and job of members of An Garda Síochána who are assigned to the Dublin metropolitan region north; the number of stations and vehicles in this division; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21933/16]

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 and vehicles 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 that on 31 May 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 674 members assigned to the 13 stations in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) North Division. I have further been informed that as of 15 July, the latest date for which information is readily available, there were 126 vehicles allocated to the Division. The detailed information requested is set out in the following tables.

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 851 Garda trainees have been recruited with a further 300 planned to be recruited during the remainder of this year. So far 534 of the new Garda trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream uniform duties nationwide with another 150 more planned to attest in November. Of the newly attested members, 41 have been assigned to the DMR North Garda Division.

The Programme for Government, "A Programme for a Partnership Government" commits tocontinuing the ongoing accelerated Garda recruitment programme with a view to increasing Garda numbers to 15,000. 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.

In relation to the fleet, the position is that since 2012 some €34 million has been invested in the Garda fleet, with over 720 new vehicles coming on stream since the start of 2015. This significant investment provides the Gardaí with additional high-powered vehicles, marked and unmarked patrol cars, and motorcycles for high-visibility road policing. Investment in a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose Garda fleet will continue under the Government’s Capital Plan 2016-2021 which provides €46 million for new Garda vehicles, ensuring that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.

Table A

Dublin Metropolitan Region North 31 May 2016

Table B

Vehicles allocated to the DMR North Division as of 15^thJuly 2016