Garda Retirements

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018

Tuesday, 24 April 2018

Questions (285, 286, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317)

Michael Moynihan

Question:

285. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí who have retired in each Garda station in the Cork west division in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17801/18]

Michael Moynihan

Question:

286. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí who have retired in each Garda station in the Cork north division in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17802/18]

Barry Cowen

Question:

297. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in counties Laois and Offaly in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18074/18]

Bobby Aylward

Question:

298. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in counties Carlow and Kilkenny in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18075/18]

Mary Butler

Question:

299. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Waterford in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18076/18]

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

300. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in west County Cork in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/18]

Michael Moynihan

Question:

301. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in north County Cork in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18078/18]

John Brassil

Question:

302. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Kerry in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18079/18]

Niall Collins

Question:

303. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Limerick in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18080/18]

Timmy Dooley

Question:

304. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Clare in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18081/18]

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

305. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Galway in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18082/18]

Lisa Chambers

Question:

306. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Mayo in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18083/18]

Marc MacSharry

Question:

307. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in counties Sligo and Leitrim in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18084/18]

Pat the Cope Gallagher

Question:

308. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Donegal in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18085/18]

Brendan Smith

Question:

309. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in counties Cavan and Monaghan in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18086/18]

Declan Breathnach

Question:

310. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Louth in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18087/18]

Shane Cassells

Question:

311. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Meath in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18088/18]

James Lawless

Question:

312. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Kildare in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18089/18]

Pat Casey

Question:

313. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Wicklow in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18090/18]

Robert Troy

Question:

314. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Westmeath in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18091/18]

Eugene Murphy

Question:

315. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in counties Longford and Roscommon in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18092/18]

Jackie Cahill

Question:

316. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Tipperary in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18093/18]

James Browne

Question:

317. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda retirements from each Garda station in County Wexford in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18094/18]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 285, 286, and 297 to 317, inclusive, together.

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 to deter crime. To achieve this the Government has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. We are making real, tangible progress on achieving this goal.

I am informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, just under 1,800 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. Garda numbers, taking account of retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 – a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016.

I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce to ensure that the vision of an overall workforce of 21,000 by 2021 remains on track. This year a further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College; some 400 of whom have entered already this year. In total, 800 Garda trainees are scheduled to attest during the year, some 200 of whom attested last month. Further, Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of this year.

I can assure the Deputy that projected departures from An Garda Síochána are kept under continuing review and the level of recruitment adjusted as necessary in order to achieve the desired strength.

In addition, a further 500 civilians will also be recruited to fill critical skills gaps across the organisation and to facilitate the redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and technical duties to front-line operational duties. There are plans to strengthen the Garda Reserve with new Reserves expected to commence training in 2018.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Division

In the spreadsheet at the following link I have set out for the Deputy's information the number of departures from An Garda Síochána in the years 2014 - 2018, as provided to me by the Garda authorities. These figures include departures arising from voluntary, compulsory, or cost neutral early retirement, resignation, death, dismissal and medical discharge.

Garda Departure Numbers 2014 - 2018