Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí assigned to the Carlow and Kilkenny districts. [7527/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including responsibility for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

I can however assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened Garda Síochána is at the centre of that. 

Since 2015, the budget for An Garda Síochána has increased by approximately €672m, or 46%. This has allowed for sustained and ongoing recruitment and as Minister, I am committed to delivering the necessary resources to bring the number of Gardaí to at least 15,000.

Since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014 a total of 4,029 Garda members have attested, this includes the 369 Probationers who attested in 2022 and the 24 Probationers who attested on the 13 January 2023. I am advised that 9 Probationer Gardaí were allocated to the Carlow and Kilkenny District in 2022. 

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table below sets out the number of Garda members assigned to the Carlow and Kilkenny District as of 31 December 2022, the latest date for which figures are available.

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/.