Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 February 2014
540. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 560, if he will provide a breakdown, per county, of community gardaí who have been in place every year since 2008; if his attention has been drawn to any plans to increase the numbers of community gardaí; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9412/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including community Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
The Deputy will be aware that all Gardaí have responsibility, inter alia, to deal with community policing issues as and when they arise. Community policing is the underpinning philosophy and ethos through which An Garda Síochána delivers a service across the country. In that context, I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of dedicated community Gardaí on 31 December 2008 to 2013, and on 31 January 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, is set out in the following table.
|
Community Policing |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Division |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Cavan/Monaghan |
4 |
12 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
|
Clare |
6 |
9 |
11 |
13 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
|
Cork City |
29 |
31 |
32 |
31 |
31 |
32 |
26 |
|
Cork North |
2 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
|
Cork West |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
|
D.M.R. East |
41 |
40 |
40 |
30 |
20 |
29 |
29 |
|
D.M.R. North |
65 |
71 |
76 |
76 |
86 |
68 |
68 |
|
D.M.R. North Central |
73 |
178 |
159 |
140 |
143 |
152 |
136 |
|
D.M.R. South |
54 |
56 |
48 |
52 |
59 |
53 |
52 |
|
D.M.R. South Central |
75 |
82 |
96 |
99 |
84 |
58 |
58 |
|
D.M.R. West |
88 |
83 |
89 |
83 |
80 |
68 |
68 |
|
Donegal |
18 |
16 |
37 |
35 |
24 |
29 |
29 |
|
Galway |
17 |
17 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
18 |
18 |
|
Kerry |
7 |
12 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
9 |
|
Carlow/Kildare* |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Kildare |
- |
17 |
7 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny/Carlow |
- |
45 |
108 |
117 |
108 |
101 |
101 |
|
Laois/Offaly |
10 |
44 |
40 |
19 |
18 |
8 |
8 |
|
Limerick |
92 |
88 |
81 |
73 |
67 |
61 |
61 |
|
Louth |
8 |
13 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
16 |
16 |
|
Mayo |
8 |
8 |
10 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
|
Meath |
8 |
7 |
17 |
16 |
14 |
12 |
12 |
|
Roscommon/Galway East * |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Roscommon/Longford |
- |
7 |
10 |
8 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
|
Sligo/Leitrim |
6 |
23 |
9 |
9 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
|
Tipperary |
15 |
106 |
108 |
104 |
99 |
85 |
85 |
|
Waterford/Kilkenny * |
23 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Waterford |
- |
18 |
67 |
62 |
52 |
52 |
52 |
|
Longford/Westmeath * |
17 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Westmeath |
- |
15 |
14 |
15 |
10 |
9 |
9 |
|
Wexford |
9 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
19 |
16 |
16 |
|
Wicklow |
20 |
23 |
23 |
20 |
20 |
18 |
17 |
|
Total |
709 |
1058 |
1182 |
1112 |
1034 |
939 |
914 |
*Divisional boundary realignments took place in 2009 resulting in changes to the structures of some Garda Divisions.
