Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1527.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí appointed to Galway since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32026/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1528.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda vehicles provided to Galway since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32027/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1579.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí recruited and-or appointed to individual Garda stations within the Galway Garda division from 2020 to 2024 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32782/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1527, 1528 and 1579 together.

The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime, and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. I was pleased to secure unprecedented funding of over €2.35 billion for this year, a 25% increase since 2020, which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

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 distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

While the Garda Commissioner is operationally responsible for the allocation of Garda resources, I engage regularly with him to ensure our Gardaí have the resources they need. I am informed that when allocating and transferring Garda members to and from any Division, consideration is given to commitments and undertakings outlined in the Annual Policing Plan and priorities as determined in delivering ‘A Policing Service For the Future’.

Coupled with the continued roll-out of the new Operating Model, I am confident that the Commissioner will have the resources and plans in place to continue to deliver on An Garda Síochána's mission of Keeping People Safe.

I understand that the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide are also taken into account, which include, but are not limited to:

• Local and national crime trends and workloads;
• Policing arrangements and operational strategies;
• Minimum establishment statistics;
• Local population and trends, geographical area and size;
• Transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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1529.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of mobile water cannons An Garda Síochána has invested in; their locations; the number of times they have been used since purchase; the number of trained operators; what training was carried out; the location of the training; the number of qualified trainers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32064/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1530.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of competitions held within An Garda Síochána for sergeants to apply for the inspector rank in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [32070/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. Appointments to ranks above Garda in An Garda Síochána are governed by relevant legislation.

Arising from the Culture Audit conducted by PwC on behalf of An Garda Síochána and following extensive engagement between my Department, the Public Appointments Service and An Garda Síochána, and in consultation with the Policing Authority and the Garda Associations, the Garda Síochána (Appointment to the Ranks of Inspector and Sergeant) Regulations 2021 were made.

These Regulations provide for a number of significant changes to the promotion process for Sergeants and Inspectors including:

• The transfer of responsibility for holding these promotion competitions to the Public Appointments Service;
• The introduction of a period of probation following promotion;
• The dissolution of the Garda Promotion Advisory Council;
• The removal of academic exemptions for aspects of the promotion examinations following a transition period; and
• The introduction of no more than a five year interval between passing the promotion examinations and applying for the Sergeant or Inspector roles.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1531.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the fees for policing events under section 30 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 were last increased. [32077/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, 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. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

Section 30 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) makes provision for An Garda Síochána to charge for policing services provided for events on private property or in areas open to the public.

I am advised that when the fees were last changed by the Garda Commissioner in 2015, they were actually reduced. I am also advised that the level of fees charged is kept under review by the Commissioner.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1532.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the ages of the trucks currently in use by the Garda water unit; and if funding is available for the replacement of these trucks. [32078/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.