Eamon Gilmore
Question:62 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí currently stationed, the number of Garda stations and the total population in each Garda division.
Written Answers. - Garda Statistics.
The particulars sought in the question are detailed in the following table. I am informed by the Garda authorities that population figures are not available on a Divisional basis. However, the population of the areas in question, in so far as it is available, is contained in the 1991 census. It should be noted that figures in relation to the strength at the Garda College, Garda Headquarters and specialised areas in the Dublin Metropolitan Area are not included in the table.
I would, however, like to point out that the population of an area is but one of a number of factors to be taken into account in assessing the policing needs of any particular area. Any attempt to compare levels of service in different areas would also need to take account of other matters including the size of an area, the overall resources available to an area such as support staff, transport and other facilities, as well as the incidence of crime in that area and any special policing needs or problems that may exist there. It would be seriously misleading to regard the ratios of gardaí to population in any area as an accurate measure of the level of Garda service provided for that area. The overall deployment of Garda resources is kept under regular review by the Garda authorities and adjustments are made as necessary in the light of changing needs and circumstances.
Table
|
Garda Division |
Number of Stations |
Garda Strength |
|
DMA North Central |
5 |
549 |
|
DMA South Central |
6 |
942 |
|
DMA North |
13 |
758 |
|
DMA East |
11 |
474 |
|
DMA South |
10 |
658 |
|
Carlow/Kildare |
32 |
286 |
|
Cavan/Monaghan |
35 |
420 |
|
Clare |
28 |
217 |
|
Cork East |
47 |
777 |
|
Cork West |
43 |
249 |
|
Donegal |
45 |
480 |
|
Galway West |
39 |
323 |
|
Kerry |
37 |
237 |
|
Laois/Offaly |
30 |
320 |
|
Limerick |
33 |
473 |
|
Longford/Westmeath |
28 |
255 |
|
Louth/Meath |
37 |
482 |
|
Mayo |
41 |
256 |
|
Roscommon/Galway East |
37 |
250 |
|
Sligo/Leitrim |
28 |
272 |
|
Tipperary |
46 |
282 |
|
Waterford/Kilkenny |
37 |
306 |
|
Wexford |
34 |
264 |