I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the allocation of resources to individual areas, that the current personnel strength of Louth-Meath Garda division, which polices the Louth area is 538 (all ranks). This represents an increase of 40, or 8%, since 31 December 1997. I have also been informed that detective units and crime-drugs units patrol the Louth area at weekends.
The Garda authorities have assured me that the allocation of resources to the Louth-Meath division will be kept under review and when additional personnel next become available the needs of that division will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the country.