I have been informed by the Garda authorities which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of Kilkenny Garda station on 6 November, 2004 was 65, all ranks. I have also been informed by the Garda authorities that there are no plans to provide a new Garda station to service the eastern environs of Kilkenny city. The Garda authorities have further informed me that local Garda management is satisfied that public order issues are well addressed in Kilkenny and that extra patrols are put in place over weekends to cover peak times.
Provisional figures for the number of incidents of anti-social behaviour between 1 January and 31 October 2004 indicate a small increase on the same period in 2003. It should be noted that figures for 2004 are provisional and may be subject to change. There were 608 public order offences between 1 January and 31 October 2004, compared to 605 in the same period in 2003. There were 55 assaults under sections 2 and 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act between 1 January and 31 October 2004, of which 36 were detected, compared to 40 such assaults in the same period in 2003, of which 28 were detected.
I am pleased the Government has approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members on a phased basis, honouring the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government. The implementation of this key commitment will significantly strengthen the force's operational capacity. When he is drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage the resources, the Garda Commissioner will, inter alia, have regard to the policing needs of Kilkenny city. It is clear that additional resources will be targeted at areas of greatest need, as envisaged in the programme for Government, which refers to such areas as being those with a significant drugs problem 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 as part of the new Garda traffic corps.
I have promised that the extra gardaí will not be allocated administrative duties, but will be involved directly in front-line, operational and high visibility policing. There will be an intake of almost 1,100 new recruits in each of the next three years. The advertising campaign for the first tranche of 1,100 recruits was launched on Thursday, 25 November 2004.