Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2004
264 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the Garda Commissioner will have extra police resources made available to Cabra Garda station in view of the ongoing anti-social behaviour and intimidation targeted at businesses at a location (details supplied). [32075/04]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that there were 64 personnel of all ranks in Cabra Garda station on 3 December 2004. The centre referred to by the Deputy consists of seven units with parking spaces available to the public. Local Garda management is satisfied the area receives adequate attention through ongoing and regular patrols from Cabra Garda station.
I am very 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 the commitment in the agreed programme for Government. This is a key commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government and its implementation will significantly strengthen the operational capacity of the force. The Garda Commissioner will now draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage these resources. The additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies areas with a significant drugs problem 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. The additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing and they will have a real impact.
For the next three years, there will be an annual intake of almost 1,100 new recruits. The advertisement campaign for this first tranche of 1,100 recruits was launched on Thursday 25 November 2004.
