Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2004
217 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in view of the announcement of plans to recruit additional gardaí, priority will be given go the deployment of gardaí in areas of most need, in particular in areas where crime levels are above average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33831/04]
View answerI am, of course, very 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 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 new recruitment campaign for the Garda Síochána has already commenced and record numbers of recruits will be taken on. Approximately 274 recruits will be taken into the college each quarter for the next three years. Taking into account the projected number of retirements, it will lead to a combined organisational strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 as early as 2006.
This record recruitment drive will place at the disposal of the Garda Commissioner a very significant increase in Garda resources. The commissioner will now draw up plans on how best to distribute and manage these resources. Garda personnel deployments throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources. Clearly, however, 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 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 significantly increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties. As I have already made clear, the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into front-line, operational, high-visibility policing. They will have a real impact.
218 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in view of the announcement of plans to recruit additional gardaí, the measures he is putting in place to ensure that a dramatically increased number of Garda foot patrols will be mounted in all areas throughout the whole year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33832/04]
View answerI have been informed by Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the levels of patrolling are continuously monitored on a regional basis in order to ensure that an effective policing service is maintained throughout the year and that appropriate steps are taken to address the policing demands of the public at large. I am further informed that the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána, all ranks, as on 13 December 2004 is 12,225.
In relation to Garda resources generally, I am, of course, very 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 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 additional resources. Clearly, of course, the additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies, in particular, 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. One thing I have already promised is that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into front-line, operational, high-visibility policing. They will have a real impact.
In each of the next three years there will be an intake of approximately 1,100 new recruits. The advertisement campaign for this first trench of 1,100 recruits was launched on Thursday, 25 November 2004.
