Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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470. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide an account of the new Garda districts and sub-districts set up in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53863/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2019 Ireland’s policing map has been redrawn to bring Garda districts and sub-districts under a streamlined Garda Operating Model.

From the foundation of the State in 1922, the core policing structures used by An Garda Síochána had largely remained static. The service was modelled around smaller policing districts in which functions such as crime investigation and administration were duplicated across small local jurisdictions.

The Garda Operating Model was introduced following the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland in 2018. It replaced the traditional district-based system with a divisional framework, placing overall responsibility for local policing with a Divisional Chief Superintendent.

Within each division, four functional areas—Community Engagement, Crime, Business Services, and Performance Assurance—replace districts. These are led by Superintendents, apart from Business Services, which is overseen by an Assistant Principal Officer.

In 2015, An Garda Síochána was organised as follows; 6 Regions, 28 Divisions and 96 Districts.

In 2019, the Garda Operating Model began with divisional pilots in four Divisions; Galway, Cork City, Dublin South Central and Mayo.

In October 2019 regions were reduced from six to four, and divisional designs were standardised to approximately 700–800 Gardaí and Garda staff, decreasing the number of divisions from 28 to 19.

The Garda Operating Model adopted a phased implementation approach from 2020 to 2025. Responding and adapting to demographic changes and other considerations, a review of the model saw re-alignment from 19 to 21 Divisions.

The Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Act came into law in 2022 to underpin the new Garda operating model.

In May 2025 full divisional implementation of the Garda Operating Model was achieved in all 21 divisions, with deployment progressing in regional and national functions/bureaus .

Over this time district and sub-district boundaries were adjusted to align to 62 Community Engagement Functional Areas.

The table below sets out the timeline of major changes since 2022.

To summarise, following the full implementation of the Garda Operating model, An Garda Síochána now operates:

• 564 stations - unchanged as a result of the Garda Operating Model.
• A phased transition from Districts into Community Engagement Functional Areas as Divisions implemented the Garda Operating Model.
• Consolidated Divisions from 28 to 21 between 2022–2025.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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471. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí who have been seconded to national specialist units over the past year, including the size and strength of those units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53865/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Regrettably it has not been possible for Garda authorities to provide the information in the time available. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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472. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Gardaí assigned to all stations in the Limerick district, from 2020 to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53870/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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In the interest of transparency, information in relation to the allocation of Probationer Gardaí by Division and Station, including for Limerick Division, is publicly available and can be found at the following link:

www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/human-resources-and-people-development/garda-hr-directorate/garda-strength-breakdown-2025/

The Deputy should select the relevant month and access the file titled “Allocation of Probationer Gardaí by Division and Station 2015 to 31 August 2025” for a breakdown of total Probationer Gardaí numbers by Garda station going back to 2015.

The Deputy can also use the link provided for a breakdown of Gardaí allocated by Division and Station. This information can be accessed by selecting the relevant month and opening the file titled “Garda members by Division District Station 2009 to 31 of August 2025".

The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which includes the distribution and stationing of Garda personnel throughout the state. The Commissioner is independent in his functions under the Act and, as Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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473. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí assigned to each station in County Laois from 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53873/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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In the interest of transparency, An Garda Síochána publishes data on the allocation of Gardaí by Division, Station and rank. This can be found at the following link:

www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/human-resources-and-people-development/garda-hr-directorate/garda-strength-breakdown-2025/

The Deputy should select the Garda Workforce figures for August 2025 (the latest date for when information is published), and access the file titled “Garda members by Division District Station 2009 to 31st August 2025” for a breakdown of Gardaí by Garda station going back to 2009.

The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution and stationing of Garda personnel throughout the State under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.