Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 1997

Vol. 483 No. 6

Written Answers. - Garda Strength.

Ivor Callely

Question:

52 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself that there are adequate number of Garda personnel, Garda vehicles and other supports to respond to calls for assistance by the general public, resident associations and neighbourhood watch schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20947/97]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I am committed to ensuring that the Garda Síochána has the necessary personnel and resources to enable it to meet the demands placed on it. In particular I believe that we should increase the size of the force and to this end the Programme for Government includes a commitment to increase Garda numbers to bring the total strength of the force to 12,000. Gardaí cannot be recruited and trained overnight but I expect to achieve this goal within the lifetime of the present Government. A competition was launched in June this year to provide for the recruitment of trainee gardaí and the intake from this competition will be accelerated to enable the implementation of the current Government's policy.

The actual allocation of personnel and resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I am guided by his operational knowledge and expertise in such matters. The Garda authorities have informed me that the current overall strength of the Garda Síochána as on 31 October 1997 was 10,840 with a rank breakdown as follows:

Commissioner	1
D/Commissioner	2
A/Commissioner	9
Chief Superintendents	44
Superintendents	165
Inspectors	262
Sergeants	1,853
Gardaí	8,504
Total	10,840

With regard to Garda vehicles, the Garda authorities inform me that there are 1,760 vehicles in the operational fleet and these include cars, mini buses, 4×4 vehicles, recovery vehicles and lorries, small and large vans and motorcycles. In 1990 there were less than 1,300 vehicles in the Garda fleet. Not only has the fleet expanded in size but it now also includes a greater range of specialised vehicles. The gardaí in recent times identified a requirement for specialised high powered vehicles, jeeps, to provide them with a rapid response facility in their anti-crime operations and in high visibility management and enforcement. Thirty extra four wheel drive vehicles will have been acquired by the end of the year. The Garda fleet was augmented during 1997 with the purchase of two aircraft, one fixed-wing aircraft and one helicopter, which became operational on 9 September 1997.

Requests for further vehicles, both on the ground and in the air, are considered in the light of present and changing trends in the Garda response to both crime detection and crime prevention and of course in the light of budget constraints.

I have to ensure that not only are the necessary resources available but that also the mechanisms are in place to ensure that they are used in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Implementation of the recommendations, recently approved by Government, of the SMI steering group on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Garda Síochána should facilitate this.

I am satisfied that the Garda Síochána has adequate resources at the moment to meet the varied responses required of them by the various groups mentioned by the Deputy. I am confident that Garda management will continuously monitor the deployment of personnel and resources to ensure that their effectiveness is optimised.