Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2016
32. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the net increase in the number of gardaí in the Garda Síochána districts of Gort, Loughrea, Tuam and Ballinasloe in County Galway that will accrue from the recruitment campaign in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9995/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that on the 31 March 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 78, 65 and 52 members assigned to the Districts of Loughrea, Tuam and Ballinasloe in the Galway Division, respectively. The Deputy should be aware that Gort station is a Sub-District of Loughrea District, and there are 28 members assigned to the station.
Since the Garda College was reopened in September 2014 there have been seven intakes of Garda Trainees giving a total intake of 700. A further 450 will be taken in this year. So far 395 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream uniform duties in communities nationwide. The Garda Commissioner has informed me that 5 of these newly attested members have been assigned to the Galway Division.
It is expected that a further 300 trainees will attest by the end of this year which, taking account of projected retirements, will bring Garda numbers to around the 13,000 mark. I am assured by the Commissioner that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí.
This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. Key to achieving this goal is the commitment in the Programme for Government, "A Programme for a Partnership Government" to continue the ongoing accelerated Garda recruitment programme with a view to increasing Garda numbers to 15,000. We must, I believe, endeavour to make more rapid progress than this to reach our target of 15,000 and I will be engaging with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in relation to increasing the planned annual intake this year and in coming years.
