An Garda Síochána

Tuesday, 12 December 2023

Questions (582)

Pa Daly

Question:

582. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice how many of the current serving gardaí are formally deployed and trained as part of public order units; and the location of these units nationwide. [55392/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. However, the information was not received in time. I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.

I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 582 of 12 December 2023 where you sought: “How many of the current serving Gardaí are formally deployed and trained as part of public order units; and the location of these units nationwide.”

As you will recall, I had sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.

As you 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 for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

I am assured that the Commissioner keeps the allocation of these resources under continued review, in line with crime and population trends, to ensure their optimum use.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that Senior Garda Management in charge of each Garda Division is responsible for ensuring that it has a sufficient number of trained Garda National Public Order Unit (GNPOU) members available for deployment within its geographical area.

The Garda members who qualify as trained GNPOU personnel are drawn from various Garda Stations across the entire Garda Division following a pre-selection process.

I am advised that the Divisional GNPOU members can be deployed for both planned and spontaneous events on a Divisional, Regional and Inter Regional basis in accordance with Garda Policy.

The tables below outline a breakdown of the total number of trained GNPOU personnel and their locations, broken down by Region and Division. It is worth noting these figures were recorded on 27 November 2023 and are currently the subject of the Public Order Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment (STRA).

I am advised that the STRA is reviewed quarterly and, as such, the records are reviewed as part of this ongoing process. The Garda authorities have advised me that due to changes in personnel, additional training courses run, retirements, transfers etc. an audit is undertaken on the submissions for the STRA to ensure that all updated information is captured correctly.

Eastern Region:

Division	Total
Kildare	27
Kilkenny / Carlow	27
Westmeath	29
Meath	30
Wicklow	41
Wexford	41
Waterford	41
Laois / Offaly	28
Eastern Regional Total	264

Southern Region:
Division	Total

Cork City	37
Limerick	29
Cork County	18
Kerry	15
Clare/Tipperary	16
Southern Regional Total	115

North West Region:

Division	Total
Cavan/ Monaghan/Louth	54
Roscommon/ Longford	28
Mayo	26
Galway	40
Sligo/Leitrim	0
Donegal	41
North West Regional Total	189

DMR Region*:

Division	Total
DMR Regional Total	534

* I am informed the above figures do include some members that are attached to units in Garda HQ and National Units, however they train and deploy with DMR personnel. I am advised that approximately 75% of the personnel included above trained in 2022 and, given the number of appointments, transfers, retirements/resignations, career breaks and promotions that occurred since this training, there would be a difference in figures to actual figures of available personnel, should all GNPOU personnel be required at a specific time.