I have been informed by the Garda authorities which are responsible for the allocation of Garda resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of each Garda station in the Mayo division on 15 November 2004 was as follows:
Station
|
Strength
|
Achill Sound
|
4
|
Balla
|
3
|
Ballina
|
36
|
Ballindine
|
1
|
Ballinrobe
|
11
|
Ballycastle
|
1
|
Ballycroy
|
1
|
Ballyglass
|
1
|
Ballyhaunis
|
9
|
Ballyvary
|
1
|
Bangor Erris
|
3
|
Bellacorick
|
1
|
Belmullet
|
19
|
Blacksod
|
1
|
Bonniconlon
|
1
|
Castlebar
|
57
|
Charlestown
|
4
|
Claremorris
|
21
|
Crossmolina
|
3
|
Easkey
|
4
|
Enniscrone
|
3
|
Foxford
|
2
|
Glenamoy
|
2
|
Glenisland
|
1
|
Hollymount
|
1
|
Keel
|
1
|
Kilkelly
|
2
|
Killala
|
2
|
Kilmaine
|
1
|
Kiltimagh
|
4
|
Knock
|
4
|
Lahardane
|
1
|
Louisburgh
|
2
|
Mulranny
|
1
|
Newport
|
2
|
Partry
|
2
|
Shrule
|
1
|
Swinford
|
24
|
Tourmakeady
|
1
|
Westport
|
27
|
Total
|
266
|
The number of gardaí by rank in the Mayo division is as follows:
Rank
|
Number
|
Chief Superintendent
|
1
|
Superintendent
|
6
|
Inspector
|
3
|
Sergeant
|
45
|
Garda
|
211
|
Total
|
266
|
Due to careful financial management within the justice group of Votes, I recently made an additional €4 million available to the Garda Commissioner to be spent on targeted Garda operations. The funding will provide, inter alia, for an additional 140,000 hours of overtime for the Garda Síochána between now and the end of the year on high visibility Garda operations. I have been advised that the Mayo division has been allocated 3,000 overtime hours as part of the new high profile policing operation. The management of the Garda is satisfied that adequate resources are in place in the Mayo division to provide a satisfactory policing service in the county.
I am pleased that the Government has approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members on a phased basis, in line with the key commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government. The implementation of the commitment will significantly strengthen the force's operational capacity. The commissioner will draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage the resources, which will be targeted at areas of greatest need, as envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies areas with significant drugs problems and a large number of public order offences. It will be possible to address other priorities, such as the need to increase significantly the number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties. I have promised that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing and will have a real impact.