Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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144. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in each Garda division on 31 October 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36171/16]

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 informed by the Garda Commissioner that in regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Garda Division. Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. It is the responsibility of the Divisional Officer to allocate personnel within his/her Division.

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. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. In 2017, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians to support the wide ranging reform plan in train in An Garda Síochána. Appointments will also be made to the Garda Reserve of approximately 300.

Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 will require some 3,200 new Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over the next four years in addition to the 1,200 that will have been recruited by the end of this year since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014. This is an ambitious target and will require a continuous pipeline of suitable candidates. I am pleased to say that the recruitment campaign launched by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Commissioner last September, the second campaign this year, again received a strong response. Since the reopening of the Garda College, 679 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide.

The following below sets out the strength of each Garda Division, as on the 31 October 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available.

GARDA STRENGTH BY DIVISIONOCTOBER 2016

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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145. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí that transferred into the Kildare division from other Garda divisions in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36172/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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146. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí that transferred out of the Kildare division to other Garda divisions in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36173/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together.

I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda Commissioner and I will forward this information directly to the Deputy when it is to hand.