Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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206. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the initial cost of recruiting 2,000 new gardaí; and the cost per annum thereafter to maintain that additional number. [32162/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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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 achieve this the Government has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.

We are making real, tangible progress on achieving this goal and Garda numbers are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018. Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 by 2021 will require some 1,600 more Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over the next two years.

It is important to note that this is an ambitious and challenging programme of accelerated recruitment. It is considered that it would not be feasible to increase this rate to recruit and induct Gardaí at the level of 2,000 in the period of a year.

Regarding the particular issues raised by the Deputy, I have requested the specific information from the Commissioner and I will write to him directly on receipt of same.