Written answers
Thursday, 5 March 2020
Department of Justice and Equality
Garda Deployment
Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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341. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the net change in Garda numbers in County Cork for 2019; the projected changes for 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3024/20]
Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Garda Commissioner is statutorily responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters.
The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation for 2020 of €1.88 billion. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff and as a result, An Garda Síochána is a growing organisation.
There are now approximately 14,300 Gardaí nationwide, supported by over 2,900 Garda staff and these numbers are continuing to grow. It may be noted that the increasing number of Garda staff is allowing the Commissioner to redeploy Gardaí from administrative to mainstream policing duties, where their training and expertise can be used to best effect. Taken together, this increase in the number of both Garda members and staff is delivering a significant increase in operational policing hours nationwide.
Details in relation to the number of Garda members assigned to the Cork Garda Divisions are available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Garda_Workforce
Details in relation to the number of Garda staff assigned to the Cork Garda Divisions are also available on my Department's website at the following link:
In accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and as noted above, the Commissioner is responsible for management of an Garda Síochána and as such, decisions on assignment of Gardaí nationwide throughout 2020 as requested by the Deputy are entirely a matter for the Commissioner. I am assured however 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.
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