Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2006
463 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the number of gardaí and the level of resources available to the Garda Síochána in the Bray, Greystones, Kilcoole and Newtownmountkennedy areas; his further views on whether the current levels are totally inadequate; and the provision which is being made to increase the numbers of gardaí and accompanying resources in those areas. [9014/06]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda resources, including personnel, that the personnel strengths of Bray, Greystones and Newtownmountkennedy Garda stations as at 28 February 2006 were as follows:
|
Station |
28/02/06 |
|
Bray |
88 |
|
Greystones |
34 |
|
Newtownmountkennedy |
2 |
Kilcoole is policed by Greystones Garda station. The areas of Bray, Greystones and Kilcoole form part of the Dublin metropolitan region east division and Newtownmountkennedy forms part of the Wexford-Wicklow Garda division. It is the responsibility of the divisional officer to allocate personnel within his-her division. The allocation of resources throughout any division is determined by a number of factors including demographics, administrative functions, crime trends and other operational policing needs. Garda management continue to appraise the policing and administrative strategy employed within each division with a view to ensuring that an effective Garda service is maintained.
In this regard, Garda management in the Dublin metropolitan region east division report that in January 2006 five gardaí were transferred from Bray Garda station to Greystones Garda station to augment the sub-district force and provide a more effective service. Four of these five gardaí have been allocated to community policing duties in Kilcoole and thus patrol the Kilcoole area during their tour of duty. In addition, local garda management report that an additional ten gardaí were allocated to the Bray sub-district from existing divisional resources in January 2006.
Local Garda management in the Dublin metropolitan region east division state that they are satisfied that the current resources available in the Bray and Greystones sub-districts are adequate to meet the present policing needs of the area.
Local Garda management in the Wexford-Wicklow division state that they are satisfied that the most effective and efficient use is being made of existing available resources in Newtownmountkennedy. The area is also patrolled by the divisional traffic corps and the district detective unit.
I should also mention that the timescale for achieving the target strength of 14,000 members of the Garda Síochána in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government remains as when I announced the Government approval in October 2004 for my proposals to achieve this objective. The phased increase in the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 will lead to a combined strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of this year. This project is fully on target and will be achieved.
As part of the accelerated recruitment campaign to facilitate this record expansion, 1,125 Garda recruits were inducted to the Garda college during 2005. The college will induct a further 1,100 recruits this year and again in 2007, by way of intakes to the Garda college of approximately 275 recruits every quarter. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the first incremental increase of newly attested gardaí under the programme of accelerated recruitment into the Garda Síochána will take place on 16 March.
The Garda Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and, in this context, the needs of the areas referred to by the Deputy will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of areas throughout the country.
