John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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55. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda recruits assigned to each Garda station in County Kerry in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16556/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I should say at the outset that the distribution of Garda personnel, including the allocation of newly attested Gardaí, is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner.

Notwithstanding the Commissioner's responsibility, I have provided for the record, in tabular form, the detailed information requested by the Deputy. 

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the 28 February 2018, the latest date for which figures are available, the strength of the Kerry Division was 320. 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 Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

I can assure the House that the 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 for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, including 15,000 Garda members.

Real, tangible progress has been made towards this goal. Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 - a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016.

The Deputy will be aware that in 2010 a previous Government closed the Garda College and imposed a moratorium - the measures imposed at that time had a negative impact on Garda numbers across all Divisions and the legacy of these decisions continues to have consequences for policing. When it had brought about an early exit from the bailout and stabilised the public finances, in September 2014 the then Government reopened the College and since then just under 1,800 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and are performing mainstream duties nationwide, 29 of whom have been assigned to the Kerry Division.

I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce. This year a further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College. In total, 800 Garda trainees are scheduled to attest during the year, 200 of whom attested last month. Further, Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí. Undoubtedly, the ongoing recruitment process will support all Garda activities and enhance visibility within our communities and will enable the Commissioner to provide additional resources across every Garda Division, including the Kerry Division, as new Garda recruits continue to come on stream.

Probationer Garda Allocations 2015 – 2018*

Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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56. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda recruits assigned to each Garda station in counties Laois and Offaly in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16546/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I should say at the outset that the distribution of Garda personnel, including the allocation of newly attested Gardaí, is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner.

Notwithstanding the Commissioner's responsibility, I have provided for the record, in tabular form, the detailed information requested by the Deputy. 

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the 28 February 2018, the latest date for which figures are available, the strength of the Laois/Offaly Division was 340. 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 Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

I can assure the House that the 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 for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, including 15,000 Garda members.

Real, tangible progress has been made towards this goal. Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 - a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016.

The Deputy will be aware that in 2010 a previous Government closed the Garda College and imposed a moratorium - the measures imposed at that time had a negative impact on Garda numbers across all Divisions and the legacy of these decisions continues to have consequences for policing. When it had brought about an early exit from the bailout and stabilised the public finances, in September 2014 the then Government reopened the College and since then just under 1,800 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and are performing mainstream duties nationwide, 76 of whom have been assigned to the Laois/Offaly Division.

I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce. This year a further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College. In total, 800 Garda trainees are scheduled to attest during the year, 200 of whom attested last month. Further, Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí. Undoubtedly, the ongoing recruitment process will support all Garda activities and enhance visibility within our communities and will enable the Commissioner to provide additional resources across every Garda Division, including the Laois/Offaly Division, as new Garda recruits continue to come on stream.

Probationer GardaAllocations 2015 – 2018*

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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57. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda recruits assigned to each Garda station in County Waterford in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16549/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I should say at the outset that the distribution of Garda personnel, including the allocation of newly attested Gardaí, is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner.

Notwithstanding the Commissioner's responsibility, I have provided for the record, in tabular form, the detailed information requested by the Deputy. 

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the 28 February 2018, the latest date for which figures are available, the strength of the Waterford Division was 300. 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 Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

I can assure the House that the 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 for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, including 15,000 Garda members.

Real, tangible progress has been made towards this goal. Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 - a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016.

The Deputy will be aware that in 2010 a previous Government closed the Garda College and imposed a moratorium - the measures imposed at that time had a negative impact on Garda numbers across all Divisions and the legacy of these decisions continues to have consequences for policing. When it had brought about an early exit from the bailout and stabilised the public finances, in September 2014 the then Government reopened the College and since then just under 1,800 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and are performing mainstream duties nationwide, 61 of whom have been assigned to the Waterford Division.

I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce. This year a further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College. In total, 800 Garda trainees are scheduled to attest during the year, 200 of whom attested last month. Further, Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí. Undoubtedly, the ongoing recruitment process will support all Garda activities and enhance visibility within our communities and will enable the Commissioner to provide additional resources across every Garda Division, including the Waterford Division, as new Garda recruits continue to come on stream.

Probationer GardaAllocations 2015 – 2018*