Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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54. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the action being taken to increase Garda Reserve numbers in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24346/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to say that the Garda Commissioner launched a new recruitment drive for Garda Reserves on 23 March last. It closed on 13 April. It received a strong response with over 2,500 people applying to become Reserves and give something back to their communities on a voluntary basis.

This is part of the Government's commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. As the Deputy will be aware 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. This year, 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. Funding has also been provided for the recruitment of 300 Garda Reserves this year.

It is regrettable that there has been a substantial reduction in the strength of the Reserve in recent years from a peak of 1,164 in 2013 to 658 currently. The fall-off arises from a range of factors, not least the lifting in 2014 of the moratorium on recruitment of trainee Gardaí which has affected Reserve numbers in two ways - firstly some 200 serving Reserves have successfully applied to become trainee Gardaí, and secondly, resources in both An Garda Síochána and in the Public Appointment Service have been focused on delivering an accelerated programme of recruitment of full time members of An Garda Síochána. I am sure that the Deputy will agree, notwithstanding the very valuable contribution of Reserve members throughout the country, that it was the right decision, with finite resources, to prioritise the running of recruitment campaigns to replenish the full-time ranks of An Garda Síochána over the last three years. With the plan to reach 15,000 Garda members well on track it was possible for the Commissioner and the Public Appointments Service to undertake a new recruitment campaign for Garda Reserves. That is now in train and will, allowing for the selection process and necessary training of successful candidates, facilitate a start to be made on strengthening of the Reserve across every Garda Division, including the Mayo Division in the coming years.

Reserve members have undergone training in many of the skills required to be an effective full-time member of An Garda Síochána and it is important that as we expand the Reserve we build on their contribution to the policing of communities right across the country and ensure that they are used to optimum effect. In this regard, I am informed that An Garda Síochána is undertaking an audit of the experience and skills of Reserves which, when completed, will assist Garda management in considering the future role to be played by the Reserve including whether additional powers should be conferred on Reserve members.