I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that 12 members who were assigned to the Limerick Division have resigned, retired or otherwise left An Garda Síochána since 30 April 2007. The personnel strength of Limerick Division as at 30 April 2007 was 552 and on 30 November 2007, the latest date for which figures are readily available, it was 592. This increase reflects the Government's ongoing commitment to meet the specific demands for increased Gardaí in the Limerick area as identified by the Fitzgerald report.
The Deputy will appreciate that, as with any large organisation, on any given day the overall strength of the organisation may fluctuate due, for example, to retirements, resignations etc. The Deputy should also be aware that Garda Divisional/District boundaries do not necessarily correspond to county or city boundaries.
It is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner to allocate personnel throughout the Force taking everything into account. The situation will be kept under review and when additional personnel next become available the needs of Limerick Division will be fully considered by him within the overall context of the needs of Garda Divisions throughout the country and the contents of the Fitzgerald Report.