Garda Deployment.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2004

Tuesday, 30 November 2004

Questions (368)

Seán Ryan

Question:

422 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí deployed in Garda stations (details supplied) for each year from 2000 to 2004. [31071/04]

Written answers

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I have been informed by the Garda authorities responsible for the detailed allocation of resources including personnel that the personnel strength of the stations referred to by the Deputy as at 1 January for the years 2000 to 2003, inclusive, and as at 26 November 2004, are as set out in the following table:

Station	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Drogheda	91	90	89	89	91
Dundalk	99	97	99	96	102
Ennis	79	79	78	79	84
Tralee	78	80	85	86	83
Kilkenny	56	62	66	64	65
Sligo	109	114	113	115	119
Navan	47	45	44	47	47
Carlow	44	46	46	51	53
Naas	76	74	76	78	78
Wexford	69	66	70	68	68
Athlone	46	47	49	46	47
Malahide	39	44	43	43	44
Balbriggan	32	32	32	35	34
Swords	49	52	54	57	69
Skerries	10	11	11	10	11
Killarney	41	42	48	48	46
Portlaoise	102	99	99	99	101

With regard to Garda resources generally, I am pleased to say 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 An Agreed Programme for Government commitment in this regard. This is a key commitment in the programme for Government and its implementation will significantly strengthen the operational capacity of the force. The Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these resources.

The additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies, in particular, areas with significant drugs problems and a large number of public order offences but it will be possible to address other priorities as well, such as the need to very significantly increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties as part of the new Garda traffic corps. I have already promised that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing. They will have a real impact.

There will be an intake of almost 1,100 new recruits per year in each of the next three years. The advertisement campaign for this first tranche of 1,100 recruits was launched on Thursday, 25 November 2004.