David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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634. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 322 of 6 October 2022, the number of gardaí who were assigned to the Cobh district and to the Garda stations in the district by rank at the end of August 2021, end of August 2020, end of August 2019 and end of August 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51094/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.

The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with the unprecedented allocation provided in Budget 2023 of €2.14 billion.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that at 31 August 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 340 Garda members assigned to the Cork North Division, which covers Cobh. This represents an increase of almost 4% since the end of August 2018 when there were 328 Garda members assigned to the Division.

The attached spreadsheet which has been provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of Garda members assigned to Cork North Division at 31 August 2018 up to 31 August 2021. Please note that this information is based upon operational data which has been provided by An Garda Síochána and may be liable to change.

For the Deputy's information, detailed statistics on Garda workforce numbers are published on my Department's website and can be accessed using the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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635. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of visits that An Garda Síochána has made under a scheme (details supplied) from 1 January 2017 to date, in tabular form. [51112/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, as Minister I have no role in internal Garda HR matters which are matters for the Commissioner's remit. To be of assistance I have contact the Garda authorities and been advised of the following in relation to the scheme referred to.

The "Doctors of Choice Scheme", also referred to as the Doctors’ Payments Scheme, came into effect on 1 January 2012. Under this Scheme Garda members can attend a doctor from an established panel. Where a serving member visits a doctor from the panel they are not required to pay the doctor for a consultation fee, rather the doctor will be paid from a central fund. In order for the doctor to receive payment the member must complete a certificate of attendance at the time of consultation in line with Garda HQ Directive 135/2011.

Where a member visits a doctor who is not registered on the Garda panel of doctors,  they must pay the doctor directly for the consultation and may seek reimbursement through normal channels.

The table below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, lists the number of Garda visits to GPs availed of under the scheme. Figures are from 01 January 2017 to 14 October 2022.