Written answers

Tuesday, 25 April 2023

Department of Justice and Equality

An Garda Síochána

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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401. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of full-time equivalent gardaí currently stationed at Kevin Street Garda Station, Irishtown Garda Station, Donnybrook Garda Station, Rathmines Garda Station, Terenure Garda Station, Sundrive Road Garda Station and Pearse Street Garda Station, in tabular form. [19110/23]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon 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 am, however, assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review. I am advised that this is considered in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure the optimum use of these resources.

I can also assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to strengthening and supporting An Garda Síochána – and Budget 2023 provides funding to support the planned recruitment of up to 1,000 new Garda members. I can also assure the Deputy that I regularly engage with the Garda Commissioner to ensure that every possible support is in place to deliver on this level of recruitment.

The table below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the number of Gardaí stationed at Kevin Street Garda Station, Irishtown Garda Station, Donnybrook Garda Station, Rathmines Garda Station, Terenure Garda Station, Sundrive Road Garda Station and Pearse Street Garda Station as of 31 March 2023, the date for which latest figures are available.

Station GD SG IN SU CS Total
KEVIN STREET 118 25 7 3 1 154
IRISHTOWN 43 7 1 51
DONNYBROOK 91 12 2 1 106
RATHMINES 42 6 1 49
TERENURE 67 9 4 80
SUNDRIVE ROAD 49 2 51
PEARSE STREET 216 25 5 1 247
For the Deputy's information, detailed figures relating to the Garda workforce, including the breakdown of members assigned by Division and Station, is available publicly at the following link and updated regularly by my Department: www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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402. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of garda vehicles assigned full-time to Kevin Street Garda Station, Irishtown Garda Station, Donnybrook Garda Station, Rathmines Garda Station, Terenure Garda Station, Sundrive Road Garda Station and Pearse Street Garda Station, in tabular form. [19111/23]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service. Budget 2023 provides funding of €2.14 billion for An Garda Síochána, of which €10m has been allocated for investment in the Garda fleet.

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 the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda vehicles. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

I am, however, assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that at 31 March 2023, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 3,381 vehicles attached to the Garda fleet. This represents an increase of 7% since end March 2021 when there were 3,156 vehicles attached to the Garda fleet.

I am also advised by the Garda authorities that for security reasons, An Garda Síochána cannot provide vehicle allocations by Garda Station. The table below sets out the number of vehicles attached to the DMR South and DMR South Central Divisions and their Districts as at 31 March 2023.

Division/District Cars Vans Motorcycles 4 x 4 Others Total
CRUMLIN-G 20 8 0 0 0 28
TERENURE-P 19 2 0 1 0 22
DMR SOUTH 39 10 0 1 0 50
DONNYBROOK-E 19 7 0 0 0 26
KEVIN STREET-A 31 5 0 0 1 37
PEARSE STREET-B 18 7 0 0 0 25
DMR SOUTH CENTRAL 68 19 0 0 1 88

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that An Garda Síochána publish information on Garda fleet, including a Divisional/District monthly breakdown, on their website at:

www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/finance-services/finance-fleet-management.html

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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403. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department records the average time between the making of a call to a garda station and the arrival of members of An Garda Síochána at the scene; the average wait time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19112/23]

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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404. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the average time between the making of a call to emergency services and deployment of members of An Garda Síochána in each month of 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [19113/23]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 403 and 404 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for all operational policing matters, including responses by An Garda Síochána to emergency calls. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána operates a Regional Control Room strategy which ensures that Garda resources are available to respond to calls for service from the public, including situations where a local resource is not immediately available.

Calls for service, whether received through a local Garda station or the 999 ECAS system, are routed through the Regional Control Rooms and prioritised for response. Higher priority calls will always take priority over lower priority calls.

The Garda authorities inform me that An Garda Síochána aim to answer 80% of 999 calls within 7 seconds and deploy resources immediately giving an estimated time of arrival. An Garda Síochána will take appropriate steps to deal with all incidents and ensure that emergency and life threatening calls receive priority. They will endeavour to get to callers within 15 minutes in urban locations and as soon as possible, given the distance to be travelled, in more rural areas.

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