Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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343. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí by rank attached to each crime task force within the Dublin metropolitan region, DMR, as of 26 February 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4173/20]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters. 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.

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 over 14,700 Gardaí nationwide, supported by over 3,000 Garda staff and these numbers are continuing to grow. This increase in the number of both Garda members and staff is delivering a significant increase in operational policing hours nationwide.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that units referred to as 'Crime Taskforce Units' were previously in place within the DMR. However, I understand they have since been replaced by Burglary Response Units (BRU) in DMR East, DMR North and DMR South Central, while their responsibilities are now fulfilled by other Garda units within DMR North Central, DMR South and DMR West.

The following table, conveyed to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of Gardaí by rank attached to each BRU within the DMR as of 26 February 2020.