Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda stations and the number of gardaí in each in the Dublin south central metropolitan region on 30 November 2016. [40634/16]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda stations and the number of gardaí in each in the Dublin southern metropolitan region on 30 November 2016. [40635/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together.

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. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources. 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. It is the responsibility of the Divisional Officer to allocate personnel within his/her Division.

I am further informed that the Garda strength of the Dublin Metropolitan Region South (DMR South) and Dublin Metropolitan Region South Central Divisions, on the 31 October 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 541 and 620 respectively. There are also 31 Garda Reserves and 34 civilians attached to the DMR South Division and 48 Garda Reserves and 28 civilians attached to the DMR South Central Division. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (formerly the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation) and the Garda National Drugs and Organise Crime Bureau.

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.

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 including 52 and 63 to the D.M.R. South and D.M.R. South Central Divisions respectively. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that another 900 trainee Garda are scheduled to attest in 2017 which will bring Garda numbers to around the 13,500 mark by year end.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources she needs to allow her to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Garda Division, including the D.M.R. South and D.M.R. South Central Divisions, in the coming years.

This investment in personnel is complemented by substantial investment in resources across the board for An Garda Síochána. The Deputy will be aware of the significant resources that have been made available to An Garda Síochána under the Government's Capital Plan 2016 - 2021. In particular, some €205 million in additional funding for Garda ICT and €46 million for new Garda vehicles has been allocated over the lifetime of the plan. This investment will facilitate the provision of more effective policing services and I have no doubt that these new resources now coming on stream will see an increase in Garda visibility in our communities.

The following table gives a breakdown of the detailed information requested in relation to the number of Garda stations and number of Gardaí assigned to the D.M.R. South Central and D.M.R. South Divisions on 31 October 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available:

D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION 31 OCTOBER 2016

D.M.R. SOUTH DIVISION 31 OCTOBER 2016