Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Oct 1993

Vol. 435 No. 2

Written Answers. - North Kilkenny Garda Numbers.

Phil Hogan

Question:

61 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the low manning levels of the Garda Síochána in North Kilkenny and to the fact that there has been a 50 per cent reduction in those manning levels in the past seven years; if she has any plans to redress this situation in view of the concern being expressed by the citizens of the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn)

The Garda Commissioner is responsible for Garda operational matters such as the allocation of manpower to individual areas in the State. The Commissioner makes his decision in that regard in the light of the overall demands for policing services balanced against other factors such as crime levels, population shifts etc. I am informed by the Commissioner that, taking these matters into account and having regard to available resources at present, the current manpower levels in north Kilkenny are adequate to meet the policing needs of the area. As is generally the case, the situation is being kept under continuing review.

I appreciate that it may be possible to argue that in relation to certain stations e.g. Castlecomer, for example, that actual Garda strength has been reduced from 7 (1 sergeant, 6 gardaí) to 4 (1 sergeant, 3 gardaí) in the period in question and that that approximates to a 50 per cent reduction if gardaí only are included. However, overall in the Kilkenny District, the reduction in Garda strength is 14 or just over 18 per cent, while the number of civilian clerical staff has increased from 3 to 5 over the same period.