Brian O'Shea
Question:59 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he proposes to have his 1,000 strength traffic corps established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35735/05]
View answerWednesday, 23 November 2005
Questions (23)
Written answers
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the total number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties as at 19 October 2005 was 574 — all ranks. A further seven gardaí — all ranks — are attached to the Garda national traffic bureau based at Garda headquarters. The personnel strength of the Garda Síochána includes personnel assigned to the Garda traffic corps. While the members of the traffic corps are specifically dedicated to traffic duties, all gardaí have responsibility, to deal with, inter alia, traffic duties as they arise.
Last November I announced the establishment by the Commissioner of a Garda traffic corps with a dedicated budget and staff structure. Furthermore, as a result of the Government's approval of my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members, the Garda Commissioner will be in a position, as each cycle of recruit training is completed, to assign additional new members to the areas of greatest need with particular regard to certain priorities. These priorities will include the traffic corps.
The personnel strength of the Garda Síochána stood at 12,301 — all ranks — on 19 November 2005. Between now and 2008, the traffic corps will increase its numbers to a complement of 1,200 on the following phased basis: 2006 — 805; 2007 — 1,030; 2008 —1,200.
In relation to Garda resources generally, the accelerated recruitment campaign to reach a record force strength of 14,000, in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government, is fully on target. In this regard, a total of 1,125 trainee gardaí were inducted into the Garda college to commence training during 2005. This will lead to a combined strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of 2006. A further 2,200 student gardaí will be recruited to the Garda Síochána in 2006 and 2007, that is, 1,100 in each of those years.