I have been informed by the Garda authorities, responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of Balbriggan Garda station as at 16 December is 34, all ranks. The personnel strength of Balbriggan Garda station as at 1 December 1989 was 28, all ranks. This represents an increase of 6, or 21%, in the number of gardaí allocated to Balbriggan since that date. Balbriggan forms part of the Louth-Meath division. The personnel strength of the division as at 16 December is 536, all ranks. The personnel strength of the Louth-Meath division as at 31 December 1989 was 473, all ranks. This represents an increase of 63, 13.3%, in the number of gardaí allocated to the Louth-Meath division since that date. It is the responsibility of the divisional officer to allocate personnel within his or her division to ensure that optimum use is made of the existing resources within it.
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. Its implementation will significantly strengthen the operational capacity of the force. The Garda Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources. The needs of the Louth-Meath division will be fully considered within the context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the State. 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 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 but put directly into front-line, operational, high-visibility policing, having a real impact.