Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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170. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of juvenile liaison officers allocated to County Kildare by district and-or division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7973/18]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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171. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of junior liaison officers assigned by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8037/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 171 together.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner 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 advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in implementing the Garda Diversion Programme at local level. This role may include the administration of formal and informal cautions as well as appropriate supervision of children who have been admitted to the Diversion Programme, as provided in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001.

I am informed by the Commissioner that the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested, as resources are assigned on a Garda Divisional basis which does not necessarily accord to County boundaries. 

For the Deputy's information I have set out in the table the number of Gardaí who are assigned to JLO duties in each Garda Division as of 31 December 2017.