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Garda Deployment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Questions (648)

Emer Higgins

Question:

648. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Justice her plans to increase garda numbers in Rathcoole, County Dublin in response to the increase in crime and an increase in population. [24932/20]

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Written answers

The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and the deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the recorded increase in crime in Rathcoole in 2018/2019 primarily related to a series of thefts which occurred in that time. I am further informed that the local Garda management have put in place a number of operations which have been effective in responding to these incidents and have resulted in a number of significant detections and prosecutions.

The resources provided to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation for 2020 of €1.88 billion. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. As at 31 August 2020, there are now approximately 14,700 Gardaí nationwide, supported by over 3,000 Garda staff and these numbers are continuing to grow.

A detailed breakdown of the Garda workforce, including both Garda members and staff, is available on my Department’s website. Details of Garda deployment for all Garda Divisions, as furnished to me by An Garda Síochána, is available at the following link:

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/002_Garda_Numbers_by_Division_District_and_Station_2009_to_August_2020.xlsx/Files/002_Garda_Numbers_by_Division_District_and_Station_2009_to_August_2020.xlsx

This information is updated every month with the latest data provided by An Garda Síochána and published on my Department's website, in the interests of transparency and for the convenience of Deputies and the wider public.

Additional information on the Garda workforce, as furnished to me by An Garda Síochána, is available at the following link: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Garda_Workforce

Information on Garda staff, as furnished to me by An Garda Síochána, is available at: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Garda_Staff

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