Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 6

Written Answers. - Garda Deployment.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

353 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of sergeants and gardaí assigned to each Galway Garda station in both the county and corporation areas; the total population that each Garda station serves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27292/00]

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

I am informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of personnel to individual areas that the County of Galway is policed by the five districts in the division of Galway West and 18 stations from four districts in the division of Roscommon-Galway East.

The Garda Commissioner is not in favour, for operational reasons, of releasing details of individual Garda stations strengths in Garda districts and I share that concern. The number of sergeants and gardaí as at 1 November 2000 attached to those districts falling fully within County Galway is as set out as follows:

District	Sergeants	Garda	Population**
Galway	25	143	67,141
Clifden	4	18	9,873
Gort	4	26	11,873
Salthill	10	53	35,807
Loughrea	5	31	17,695
Tuam	9	42	24,332

**The total populations of these Districts are taken from 1996 census.

In addition, there are parts of Galway county which are policed by three districts (Roscommon, Ballinasloe, Castlerea) which have some stations inside and others outside County Galway. Ten stations from these three districts cover parts of County Galway and there are seven sergeants and 46 gardaí assigned to these ten stations.