Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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99. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he has received requests from the Garda Commissioner for additional personnel and resources for the traffic policing units of An Garda Síochána in the context of budget 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38973/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion. I understand that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

Very significant capital investment is also being made in An Garda Síochána - the allocation to the Garda vote for 2019 was €1.76 billion, along with a total of €92 million in capital investment this year.

As Deputies are aware, the Government has a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021. It is a matter for the Commissioner as to how he best deploys the resources available to him.

Regarding roads policing specifically, the Deputy may be interested to know that a selection competition to increase the overall strength of Garda Roads Policing Units commenced nationwide in 2017. This selection competition is now complete and an additional 146 Garda members were assigned to Roads Policing Units nationwide in Q4 2018.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that a further competition to increase the overall strength of Roads Policing Units commenced nationwide in February 2019. This competition is currently ongoing and it is envisaged that by the end of 2019 there will be an increase in members attached to Roads Policing Units nationwide. The following table indicates the Garda staffing projection for the Roads Policing Units Nationwide envisaged by 2021:

I would first remind Deputies that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. Further, the allocation of Garda resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions, is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of his identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no direct role in this matter.