Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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867. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda recruits expected to complete their training in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. [28532/17]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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868. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the projected number of gardaí in the force by the end of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. [28533/17]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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869. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of intakes of new recruits the Garda College takes in each year; the dates on which this takes place; and the maximum number of recruits the Garda College can take in each of these intake periods. [28534/17]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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870. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of recruitment of sufficient gardaí in 2018 to meet the 15,000 target in the programme for Government. [28535/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 867 to 870, inclusive, together.

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.

Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 by 2021 will require some 2,400 new Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over the next three years in addition to the 2,000 recruited that will have been recruited by the end of this year since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014.

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. Funding has also been provided for the recruitment of 300 Garda Reserves. I am engaging with my colleague, the Minister Public Expenditure and Reform, in relation to ensuring funding is available to allow sufficient recruitment into An Garda Síochána in 2018 and the coming years so that the planned overall Garda workforce of 21,000 is achieved.

The workforce plan is progressing apace. So far this year, there have been two intakes of two hundred trainees in February and May with a further two intakes of 200 planned for August and November giving a total intake of 800. It is expected that the planned schedule of intakes will continue into 2018. I am advised by the Commissioner, that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, just under 1,000 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. I am also informed that another 600 trainee Garda are scheduled to attest this year which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increase to around the 13,500 mark by year end - an increase of 500 since the end of 2016. In addition to this, a further 800 Garda trainees are expected to attest in 2018.

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 the organisation.

In relation to the capacity of the Garda College, I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the Garda College provides a range of training and development courses to members of An Garda Síochána and all new recruits complete their initial 32 week training programme at the College. The physical capacity of the College extends to 496 bedrooms, 16 Classrooms and 4 Lecture Theatres. The College has the capacity to accommodate the planned intakes of Garda trainees.