asked the Minister for Justice (a) the number of whole-time gardaí of all ranks, taking account of the whole-time equivalents of overtime and time above 40 hours per week worked, in the greater Dublin region; (b) the population or estimate thereof of the greater Dublin region; and (c) the ratio of the numbers in (b) to the number in (a) for the years 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976 and 1978.
Written Answers. - Garda Síochána.
249.
The present actual strength of the Garda Síochána in the Dublin Metropolitan Area is 2,973. It is not possible accurately to translate amounts of overtime worked into notional figures of additional manpower. Apart from that, overtime was introduced for the first time in 1970 and no records are available of the number of hours that may have been worked by members of the force in the years before then.
The present population of the Dublin Metropolitan Area is estimated at 1,100,000.
The following table shows the ratio of gardaí to population, calculated on the basis of actual Garda strength, in the Dublin Metropolitan Area on 30 November in each of the years 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976 and 1978.
|
Year |
Ratio of Gardaí to population |
|
1961 |
1 : 411 |
|
1966 |
1 : 385 |
|
1971 |
1 : 368 |
|
1976 |
1 : 365 |
|
1978 |
1 : 370 |
The ratios shown for 1976 and 1978 are estimates only, as accurate population figures for those years are not available.
250.
asked the Minister for Justice if he considers it sensible or efficient practice for gardaí "on the beat" in Dublin city to exclude from their duties those duties which they formerly carried out single-handed but which are now carried out by Maor Tráchta.
The implication in the question that the enforcement of parking regulations and the issue of fixed penalty notices for parking offences in Dublin is excluded from Garda duties is not correct. Members of the force on beat duty continue to enforce parking regulations and to issue fixed penalty notices in Dublin and elsewhere.