Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1136. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of probationer Garda officers assigned in each station in Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Meath and Wicklow for the years 2022 to 2024 and to date in 2025. [11579/25]

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1137. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí, by rank, attached to each station in Kildare. [11580/25]

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1138. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí, by rank, attached to each station in Wicklow. [11581/25]

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1139. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community Gardaí attached to each station in Kildare and Wicklow. [11582/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1136 to 1139, inclusive, together.

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. Under Section 33 of the Act, the Commissioner is responsible for the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State. As Minister, I play no role in these independent functions.

There are almost 18,000 Garda members, staff and reserve within the Garda organisation and the Government is committed to seeing these numbers grow. 149 Probationer Gardaí attested on Friday, 7 March and have been assigned to operational duties in Garda stations across the State. Another 201 trainee Gardaí entered Templemore on Monday, 10 March, the largest intake since the lifting of public health restrictions.

Over €2.4 billion has been allocated to the Garda budget in 2025 and this funding will provide for further recruitment of Garda members and staff. This year's Garda recruitment campaign closed at the end of February with over 6,700 applicants seeking to join the service.

In the interest of transparency, figures related to the Garda workforce are published on my Department's website. This information is supplied by An Garda Síochána, is operational and subject to change. These figures are regularly updated by my Department, upon receipt of the information from the Garda authorities.

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

To be of assistance to the Deputy, the allocation of Probationer Gardaí by station is available at:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/7c2e6-probationer-gardai/

The number of Community Gardaí by division is available at:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/f69f7-community-policing/

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1140. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí attached to each station in Kildare and Wicklow specifically trained to manage and or attend reports of sexual assault and domestic abuse. [11583/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a central priority for this Government, for the Department and for the Garda Commissioner. 'Zero Tolerance,' the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV), set out an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV or the attitudes which underpin these crimes.

The Strategy has a significant focus on improving the system for victims of these terrible crimes and on ensuring there is a full range of supports and services available nationwide to support and empower victims and survivors. An Garda Síochána and my Department are continuing to work hard to strengthen trust and confidence in the system, so that victims will feel confident in coming forward to report what has happened to them and get justice.

An Garda Síochána prioritise and proactively respond to incidents of domestic abuse and the nationwide roll out of Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSUs) ensures that when vulnerable victims of crimes such as domestic abuse and sexual violence present to Gardaí, they are met with a consistently high standard of specialist, sensitive, professional and expert assistance. There is now a DPSU in every Garda Division.

I am advised that all members of An Garda Síochána in the Kildare and Wexford/Wicklow Divisions have received training to manage and attend reports of sexual assault and domestic abuse. The Kildare Division also has a Divisional Protective Service Unit (DPSU) with 16 members attached who have received additional training in dealing with more complex sexual and domestic abuse investigations, and are available to provide assistance where required to members in all stations. There is also a designated DPSU attached to Wicklow with 13 members who have received this additional training.

One of the key objectives in the Zero Tolerance Strategy is to encourage victims of domestic and sexual violence to come forward and to report the crimes that are being committed against them. This is an important step because historically there has been an under reporting of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I want to reassure anyone who is a victim, or at risk of, domestic or sexual abuse that help continues to be available. I urge anyone who is in fear or danger to please contact the Gardaí as soon as they can do so safely.