John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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819. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Reserves; the steps he is taking to meet her target of 2,000 Garda Reserve members by 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28036/17]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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826. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Reserve personnel in service. [28070/17]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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874. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding his plans to recruit 300 Garda Reserves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28608/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 819, 826 and 874 together.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the recruitment and training of the Garda Reserve is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.

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.

This plan is progressing well. 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.

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 649 as of 30 April, 2017. 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, 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 completing 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.