Written answers
Tuesday, 1 February 2022
Department of Justice and Equality
An Garda Síochána
Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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614. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 761 of 2 November 2021, if she has received a response from An Garda Síochána regarding statistical information in relation to gardaí assigned to County Longford in September 2021. [4890/22]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will recall that the information requested in Parliamentary Question No. 761 of 2 November 2021 could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the requested information was received.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the deployment of Garda members throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. I am assured that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review.
The Garda authorities have provided me with the information below.
| Number of Gardaí on secondment to other units/stations or temporarily transferred in Co Longford on 30 September 2021 | 2 |
|---|---|
| No of Gardaí in Co Longford absent due to injury on duty (IOD) on Sept 30 2021 | 6 |
| No of Gardaí in Co Longford absent due to long term sick absence (>28 days) on 30 September 2021 | 8 |
| No of Gardaí in Co Longford on restricted duty on 30 June 2021* | 6 |
| Total no of Gardaí assigned to Longford on 30 September 2021 | 139 |
* Restricted duty for September is not available, the last record was collated in June 2021.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that the category ‘Incapacitated Garda Members’ includes members who are absent due to IOD and Long Term Sick Absence.
An Garda Síochána have informed me that the medical criteria for ill health retirement is as follows:
1. The applicant has an ongoing medical condition that prevents him/her from working at his/her occupation.The CMO must ensure the above criteria is met in the case of ill health retirement. The time it takes to secure treatment and assess its effectiveness can prolong the time required to conclude on the long term fitness of a member.
2. This medical incapacity is likely to be permanent.
3. Reasonable workplace accommodations (such as part-time working / redeployment) have been considered by management.
4. Reasonable diagnostic and treatment options have been explored.
I am further advised that it is not possible to provide statistics of Garda members incapacitated but not yet ‘ill health retired’ given the criteria above.
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