Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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236. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda recruits assigned to each Garda division since recruitment resumed in 2014, in tabular form; the reason the Galway division had the second lowest number of recruits assigned of all divisions in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41540/17]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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237. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí and the ranks of each in the Galway division, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41541/17]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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238. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the population centres served by each garda division in the country, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41542/17]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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239. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in the Galway division in each of the past ten years, by rank, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41543/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 239, inclusive, 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, demographics and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of Garda human resources.

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.

This plan is progressing apace. 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.

I am informed by the Commissioner that the Garda strength of the Galway Division, on 31 August 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 573. There are also31 Garda Reserves and 47 civilians attached to the 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, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

I am further informed by the Commissioner, since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, that close to 1,400 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, 15 of whom have been assigned to the Galway Division. I am also informed that another 200 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.

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 Galway Division in the coming years.

In so far as the allocation of newly attested Gardaí is concerned, this is a matter for the Garda Commissioner.  I am assured by the Commissioner that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of resources. However, it is important to keep in mind that newly attested Gardaí have a further 16 months of practical and class-room based training to complete in order to receive their BA in Applied Policing.  To ensure that they are properly supported and supervised and have opportunities to gain the breadth of policing experience required, the Commissioner's policy is to allocate them to specially designated training stations which have the required training and development structures and resources in place, including trained Garda tutors and access to a permanently appointed supervisory Sergeant who is thoroughly familiar with their responsibilities under the training programme. 

The information requested by the Deputy regarding the population served by each Garda Division is not readily available in my Department as the recording of the population by area is a matter for the Central Statistics Office. 

I am informed by the Commissioner that the allocation of probationer Gardaí since 2015 and the strength of the Galway Division by rank in each of the past ten years (as of 31 August 2017) are as set out in the following tables: