Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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334. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí by rank attached to the north Dublin Garda drugs unit as of 24 February 2020. [3957/20]

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 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. Taken together, this increase in the number of Garda members and staff is delivering a significant increase in operational policing hours nationwide.

In relation to the specific location referred to by the Deputy, I am informed by the Garda authorities that as at 31 March 2020, the latest for which figures are available, there were 16 Gardaí and 3 Sergeants assigned to the Drugs Unit based in the DMR North Division.

This is in addition to Divisional Drugs Units which include approximately 236 Garda personnel, as of 31 March, assigned to tackle drug related crime on a local basis throughout the country supported, as needed, by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau which has 98 Gardaí attached to it as of 31 March.

I understand that Gardaí through these structures are having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs to Ireland, as well as organised crime groups.