Skip to main content
Normal View

Garda Strength

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Questions (652)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

652. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda members per thousand of population in each Garda division; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10981/21]

View answer

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 deployment of resources. The allocation of Garda resources is made in light of identified operational demand. This includes deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.

An Garda Síochána has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion for 2021. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. As a result, Garda numbers are now at approximately 14,600 Garda members and over 3,000 Garda staff nationwide.

I am informed that the commitments and undertakings outlined in the Annual Policing Plan, and the priorities as determined in delivering the A Policing Service for our Future plan are taken into account when consideration is given to the allocation of resources (including newly attested Probationer Gardaí, personnel being allocated to specialist units, e.g. Roads Policing, Community Policing, Divisional Protective Services Units, Divisional Drug Units, etc.) and facilitating transfers of personnel to / from any Division.

The following factors are also taken into account in the context of the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide:

- local and national crime trends and workloads;

- policing arrangements and operational strategies;

- minimum establishment statistics;

- local population and trends, geographical area and size;

- transfer applications, including welfare / personnel issues and concerns.

Local and Senior Garda Management are also consulted during the allocation of personnel and are responsible for the specific deployment / assignment of duties being undertaken at Divisional level. The situation remains closely monitored by the Garda Senior Leadership Team, particularly in view of commitments to the continued roll-out of the Operating Model of policing at Divisional level to ensure optimum use of all Garda Resources in providing the best possible Garda service to the community.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Garda members per thousand population in each Garda division is shown in the table below.

Breakdown by division 31.01.2021

Total

Population per 2016 Census

No. of Garda members per 1,000 population

CAVAN / MONAGHAN

393

137,562

3

CLARE

316

118,817

3

CORK TOTAL (City, North, West)

1,390

542,868

3

DMR TOTAL (North, N Central, South, S Central, East, West, & DMR Traffic & DMR HQ)

4,077

1,347,359

3

DONEGAL

464

159,192

3

GALWAY

623

258,058

2

KERRY

359

147,707

2

KILDARE

422

222,504

2

KILKENNY/CARLOW

342

156,164

2

LAOIS / OFFALY

382

162,658

2

LIMERICK

601

194,899

3

LOUTH

391

128,884

3

MAYO

343

130,507

3

MEATH

333

195,044

2

ROSCOMMON / LONGFORD

314

105,417

3

SLIGO / LEITRIM

311

97,579

3

TIPPERARY

413

159,553

3

WATERFORD

379

116,176

3

WESTMEATH

274

88,770

3

WEXFORD

338

149,722

2

WICKLOW

312

142,425

2

COLLEGE, HQ AND SPECIALIST UNITS

1,762

4,761,865

0

Grand Total

14,539

4,761,865

3

The CSO Census figures above are provided by county. The figures in the table below for the individual Dublin Metropolitan Region Divisions and Cork Divisions are as interpolated by the Garda Mapping Section based on 2016 Census figures.

Breakdown by division 31.01.2021

Total

Population figure (Mapping)

No. of Garda members per 1,000 population

CORK CITY

725

258,500

3

CORK NORTH

355

155,874

2

CORK WEST

310

133,479

2

DMR EAST

383

200,918

2

DMR NORTH

800

350,583

2

DMR NORTH CENTRAL

681

94,535

7

DMR SOUTH

591

248,070

2

DMR SOUTH CENTRAL

734

131,290

6

DMR WEST

770

321,511

2

DMR TRAFFIC* & HQ

118

1,347,359

0.1

* Garda members in the other six D.M.R. Divisions also have specific Roads Policing duties.

Top
Share