John Ellis
Question:327 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of Gardaí in drugs squads in each garda division. [14967/01]
Written Answers. - Garda Deployment.
John Ellis
Question:328 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will request the Garda Síochána to immediately increase the number of members assigned to the drugs task forces in each Garda division in the Border midlands west region. [14968/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together.
The Garda national drugs unit has responsibility for combating the supply of and demand for drugs on a national basis and the current strength is 53 as of 22 May 2001. In addition, the number of gardaí in each garda drug unit in each division is outlined hereunder:
|
Dublin Metropolitan Region |
Number of Gardaí |
|
Northern Division |
19 |
|
Southern Division |
11 |
|
Eastern Division |
21 |
|
Western Division |
21 |
|
North Central Division |
17 |
|
South Central Division |
14 |
|
Total |
103 |
|
Northern Region |
Number of Gardaí |
|
Cavan/Monaghan Division |
9 |
|
Donegal Division |
13 |
|
Sligo/Leitrim Division |
8 |
|
Total |
30 |
|
Southern Region |
Number of Gardaí |
|
Cork City Division |
16 |
|
Limerick Division |
11 |
|
Kerry Division |
3 |
|
Total |
30 |
|
Eastern Region |
Number of Gardaí |
|
Carlow/Kildare Division |
11 |
|
Laois/Offaly Division |
7 |
|
Longford/Westmeath Division |
9 |
|
Total |
27 |
|
Western Region |
Number of Gardaí |
|
Clare Division |
4 |
|
Galway West Division |
7 |
|
Total |
11 |
|
South-Eastern Region |
Number of Gardaí |
|
Tipperary Division |
2 |
|
Waterford/Kilkenny Division |
5 |
|
Wicklow/Wexford Division |
2 |
|
Total |
9 |
Furthermore, all Garda operational personnel have a responsibility for and are tasked with the enforcement of drugs legislation.
In relation to the specific query regarding drugs task forces in each Garda division in the Border midlands west region, the position is that the recently published review of the national drugs strategy, Building on Experience, recommends a series of actions to be taken across the full range of Departments and agencies involved in the delivery of drugs policy at national and local level. The establishment of regional drugs task forces in each of the current regional health board areas is one of the recommendations. These task forces will address the entire range of drug related issues, including supply reduction. In this context, the Garda Síochána will be represented on these task forces and, accordingly, as part of the development of a co-ordinated and integrated approach to tackling the drug problems in these regions the issue of deployment of Garda resources will undoubtedly be reviewed by the Garda authorities.