Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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742. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of juvenile liaison officers, by rank, attached to the Meath Garda division in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44521/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the deployment of personnel and as Minister I have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this deployment under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of available resources.

I am advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in implementing the Garda Diversion Programme. Their role includes the administration of formal and informal cautions, as well as appropriate supervision of children who have been admitted to the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme, as provided in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001.

The intention of the programme is to divert children and young people who have engaged in criminal or anti-social behaviour away from the criminal justice system and towards more positive life choices. Children who commit criminal offences are considered for admission to the Programme.

Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda Diversion Programme. These projects are community based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives, which are funded directly by my Department. YDPs seek to divert young people who have become involved, or are at risk of becoming involved, in crime/anti-social behaviour away from future involvement with the criminal justice system.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that at the end of September 2024, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 115 Juvenile Liaison Officers nationwide, an increase of over 5% since the end of December 2020.

I am informed that at the end of 2020 up to the end of 2023, and as of 30 September 2024, there were fewer than ten JLO's assigned to Meath.

I am advised that data is not released by An Garda Síochána for counts of fewer than 10 for data protection reasons.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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743. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí in Meath who have left the force in each year since 2020, in tabular form. [44522/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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744. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí, by county, who have left the force in each year since 2020, in tabular form. [44523/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 744 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, a further record-breaking increase in funding for An Garda Síochána was allocated in Budget 2025. The allocation for An Garda Síochána now stands at €2.48 billion, and has increased by 27% since 2020. This funding will support the recruitment of new Garda members, Garda staff and Garda Reserves, and reflects the Government’s commitment to supporting all parts of the organisation.

The Government are taking a number of steps to accelerate recruitment and support retention in An Garda Síochána, including almost doubling the Garda training allowance, increasing the age of entry from 35 to 50, increasing the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 62, and launching a new Garda Reserve Competition.

As of the end of September, the total strength of An Garda Síochána was 14,125, compared to 12,816 in 2015.

As the Deputy is 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).

The table below, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out by Division the members who have left An Garda Síochána in 2020 up to 2023 and in 2024 up to 31 October. I am informed that the figures include voluntary retirements, compulsory retirements, cost neutral early retirements, resignations, dismissals, deaths in service and medical discharges.

Please be advised that this information is operational and may be subject to change.

As the Deputy may be aware, further data is not released by An Garda Síochána for counts of fewer than 10 for data protection and security reasons.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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745. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide a breakdown of the number of Garda officers, by rank, attached to all Meath east Garda stations in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of Garda officers who retired from Meath east Garda stations in the same period; and if this is commensurate with population increases in Meath from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form. [44524/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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746. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide a breakdown of the number of Garda officers, by rank, attached to all Meath east Garda stations in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the number of Garda officers who retired from Meath east Garda stations in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44529/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 745 and 746 together.

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.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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747. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda officers, by rank, attached to Nobber Garda station in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the number of Garda officers who retired from Nobber Garda station in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44530/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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808. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for a breakdown by rank of the latest-available figures for the number of sworn Gardaí in the Meath division; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45201/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 747 and 808 together.

It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available.

I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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748. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 149 of 9 October 2024, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda Commissioner in order to have this question answered. [44572/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of Garda members throughout the State.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Division.

I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that personnel assigned throughout the country, together with the overall policing arrangements and operational strategies are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of resources and the best possible policing service is provided to the general public.

As of 30 September 2024, the number of Gardaí attached to Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), by Rank, is as follows:

I am advised that a more detailed breakdown of these Garda members cannot be provided as data is not released by An Garda Síochána for counts less than 10, for data protection and security reasons.

The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (COFPI) recommended that immigration administrative functions should transfer from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of my Department.

So far in 2024, my Department has taken the majority of responsibility for first time registrations from An Garda Síochána, and also handles immigration permission renewals for customers nationwide. It is anticipated that the nationwide transfer of registration functions to my Department will be substantively completed by early 2025.

It is important to note that GNIB is a national unit that provides assistance, advice and support to Immigration Officers located in Garda Divisions around the country on the administration and investigation of immigration related matters. Immigration officers located around the country are not members of GNIB, and therefore the number of Gardaí working on immigration matters is much higher than the table provided.

This civilianisation process which will be complete in early 2025 will have released up to 100 more Gardaí to support immigration enforcement activities.