Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

585. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a schedule of the number of new Garda recruits deployed for their first module of work experience by district and by station in counties Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Dublin in each of the years 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will provide the same information in respect of newly attested gardaí. [6504/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

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 further 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.

I am pleased to note that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, a total of 3,781 Garda members have been assigned to Garda Divisions throughout the country. For the Deputy's information, the allocation of Probationer Gardaí by Division and station from 2015 up to 21 January 2022 is published on my Department's Website and can be accessed using the following link: www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Probationer_Gardaí.

Budget 2022 has provided an unprecedented allocation of in excess of €2 billion to An Garda Síochána, which includes funding for the recruitment of up to an additional 800 Gardaí and a further 400 Garda staff, subject to the public health situation. This significant investment demonstrates the Government's commitment to increasing the Garda workforce to enable the organisation to keep our communities safe.

I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, in relation to the the number of new Garda recruits deployed for their first module of work experience by district and by station in counties Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Dublin but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.