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Garda Deployment.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 June 2004

Tuesday, 1 June 2004

Questions (318, 319, 320)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

337 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí available for duty, daily and nightly for foot and mobile patrols and station duties in each station throughout County Kildare; the way in which this figure compares with those of five years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16577/04]

View answer

Written answers

I have been informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength — all ranks — of each Garda station in County Kildare as at 28 May 2004 and May , 1999 is as set out hereunder:

Station

Strength as at 28 May, 2004

Strength as at May, 1999

Naas

81

74

Clane

6

6

Kill

3

3

Celbridge

19

13

Maynooth

14

14

Kildare

27

27

Newbridge

28

28

Robertstown

2

2

Kilcullen

3

3

Carbury

2

2

Monasterevin

2

3

Rathangan

3

2

Athy

18

17

Castledermot

2

2

Ballytore

1

1

Ballymore Eustace

1

1

Leixlip

27

19

Kilcock

4

6

For security and operational reasons it is not Garda policy to disclose the number of Garda personnel on duty in a particular station at any given time.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

338 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the extent to which adequate resources are available to meet the fight against drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16578/04]

View answer

I have been informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the total personnel strength of the Garda Síochána as at 28 May 2004 was 11,964 (all ranks). All Garda personnel have a responsibility, inter alia, to deal with drug related matters as they arise.

The measures undertaken by the Garda Síochána designed to address drug trafficking and distribution centre around the issue of strategy, structures and resources.

At a strategic level the Garda Síochána is committed to rigorous enforcement of the laws in relation to drug misuse. This is one of the fourteen key strategic goals set out in the annual policing plan. Each Garda division is required to produce a divisional drug policing plan which contributes to the overall goals of the national plan taking into account local circumstances.

Responsibility for co-ordinating the drugs strategy within the policing plan is vested in assistant commissioner, national support services, who overseas the implementation of the organisation's drug strategy.

In addition to the general resources available to address drug trafficking, specific units have been established to deal with particular aspects of organised crime, some of which impact directly on drug trafficking. Principal amongst these are the Garda national drugs unit which is responsible for targeting networks involved in the sale and distribution of illegal drugs, the Garda bureau of fraud investigation, the national bureau of criminal investigation and the Criminal Assets Bureau.

At a local level divisional and district drug units have been established with the specific remit of targeting individuals engaged in the sale and distribution of drugs to local communities. These units are supported by local resources as well as national units when required.

The Garda Síochána also engages in measures designed to reduce the demand of drugs within society. This includes the provision of resources to the national drug strategy team as well as the regional and local drug task forces. Furthermore the work of the Garda community relations section impacts on the issue of substance misuse in a number of ways.

The issue of the adequacy of resources is one which is under constant review having due regard to the nature and extent of the problem coupled with the overall availability of resources. Garda management are of the view that presently there are considerable resources operating at both national and local level aimed at addressing drug trafficking and distribution.

The national drugs strategy sets performance indicators over its lifetime for the volume of drugs seized to increase by 25% by the end of 2004 and 50% by the end of 2008 using the 2000 seizure figures as a baseline. The Garda Síochána and the Customs and Excise are achieving considerable success in relation to this target to date. Data on street value of drug seizures is as follows:—

Garda seizures;

2000 — €20m, 2001 — €45m, 2002 — €49m, 2003 — €100m Customs and Excise seizures; 2000 — €11m, 2001 — €60m, 2002 — €34m, 2003 — €21m.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

339 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he proposes to increase the number of Gardaí in line with the commitment made in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16579/04]

View answer

I am informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána (all ranks) as at 28 May 2004 was 11,964.

In April, 2000, the Government agreed, inter alia, to a system of delegated authority under which recruitment is carried out to maintain the strength of the force at an agreed level. In April 2002 the Government decided to increase the approved strength of An Garda Síochána to 12,200.

It is my policy and the policy of the Government to prioritise Garda recruitment and training in order to bring the strength of the Force up to its maximum authorised strength of 12,200 as soon as possible and sustain it at that level by making maximum use of the existing capacity of the Garda Training College at Templemore. In that regard a total of 690 Garda trainees were taken into the Garda college during 2003. The Commissioner has projected, based on the anticipated rate of retirement, that the maximum authorised force strength of 12,200 will be achieved during 2004.

The programme for Government states that the Government will complete the current expansion of the Garda Síochána and increase recruitment so that numbers will increase by a further 2,000. That commitment remains, and while it will not be possible to increase numbers beyond the approved strength of 12,200 for as long as the cap on public service numbers remains in place, I will be asking the Government to look again at how quickly budgetary circumstances will permit progress towards achieving the target of 14,000 to be made.

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