John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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667. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in Tallaght and Rathfarnham Garda stations in each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38580/17]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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668. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new recruits allocated to Tallaght and Rathfarnham garda stations in each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38581/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 667 and 668 together.

As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who 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 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.

The area referred to by the Deputy forms part of the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) South Division. I have been informed that the number of Gardaí assigned to the DMR South Division on 31 July 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 541 of which 62 and 174 were assigned to Rathfarnham and Tallaght Garda Stations, respectively. In addition 22 Garda Reserves and 30 civilians were also attached to the 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 to 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. Funding has also been provided for the recruitment of 300 Garda Reserves.

This plan is progressing apace. I am informed by the Commissioner, since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, that almost 1,200 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, 96 of whom were assigned to the DMR South Division. I am also informed that a further four hundred Garda recruits are scheduled to attest later 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.

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 needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Garda Division, including the DMR South Division in the coming years.

For the Deputy's information I have set out below the information provided by the Commissioner in relation to the number Gardaí assigned to Rathfarnham and Tallaght Garda stations from 2014 to 31 July 2017 and also the number of new Garda recruits assigned to Tallaght and Rathfarnham Garda stations in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017.

There were no new recruits attested in 2014.

Number of Gardaí allocated to Tallaght and Rathfarnham Garda Stations 2014-2017

Number of recruits assigned to Tallaght and Rathfarnham Garda Stations 2015-2017