Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2015
115. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which the number of reported incidents of the various categories of crime has fluctuated and the extent to which the strength of An Garda Síochana has altered over the past 12 years to date; if a correlation has been established between the number of gardaí and criminal activity; her plans to address such issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42347/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of recorded crime statistics. I have requested the CSO to provide the available statistics in relation to the matters referred to directly to the Deputy.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána on the 31 December 2003 and on the 31 October 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 12,017 and 12,866, respectively.
The Deputy will also be aware that this Government is strongly committed to providing communities throughout the country with the reassurance that comes from a visible and determined police force. This commitment is most clearly seen in the Government's decision to resume Garda recruitment and by the end of 2016 a total of 1,150 new recruits will have been taken in to the Garda College in Templemore.
While there is clearly a link between the effectiveness of our policing arrangements and the number of Gardaí available, the provisions of resources for modern vehicles, technology and information systems, is also an important factor in stepping up our efforts to confront and disrupt criminal activity. In this regard the Deputy will be aware of the very significant investment which the Government is making to update and upgrade Garda vehicles and technology with a total of €205 million being provided in the Capital Plan 2016 – 2021.
All of these important investments in policing capacity are supporting enhanced Garda measures to deal with crime, in particular through the recently launched Operation Thor which is providing a coordinated and robust response to criminal gangs engaged in burglary and related criminality.
