Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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446. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí by rank attached to Garda human trafficking investigation and co-ordination unit as of 7 December 2020. [43106/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. Further, the allocation of Garda resources is made in light of identified operational demands. This includes deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.

I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use. I understand that it is a matter for the Divisional Chief Superintendent to determine the optimum distribution of duties among the personnel available to him or her, having regard to the profile of each area within the Division and its specific needs.

The Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit (HTICU) forms part of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) and falls under the remit of Assistant Commissioner, Organised & Serious Crime (OSC), Harcourt Square, Dublin 2. The following table, furnished to me by the Garda authorities, details the number of Gardaí by rank which were attached to the Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit as of 7 December 2020.