Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 February 2022
154. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Justice the significant changes that Castlebar Garda station has undergone in terms of additional resources, hubs, business supports since 2019, when it was assigned the divisional headquarters for the new north-west region covering counties Mayo, Roscommon and Longford. [8678/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use. I understand that it is a matter for the Divisional Chief Superintendent to determine the optimum distribution of duties among the personnel available to them, having regard to the profile of each area within the Division and its specific needs.
Budget 2022 has provided an unprecedented allocation of in excess of €2 billion to An Garda Síochána, which includes funding for the recruitment of up to 800 additional Garda trainees and 400 Garda staff. This significant investment demonstrates the Government's commitment to increasing the Garda workforce to enable the organisation to keep our communities safe, and to preventing crime in all its forms.
As the Deputy is aware, the new Operating Model for An Garda Síochána was designed to streamline Garda administration and to provide a more visible, responsive and localised policing service to communities nationwide.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that Castlebar Garda Station continues as the location for the Divisional Headquarters of Mayo and will continue to be the Divisional Headquarters when Mayo concludes its ongoing amalgamation with the Roscommon and Longford Division as part of the rollout of the new Garda Operating Model.
Castlebar Station is the location for the Business Service Functional Area which provides Business Support for Mayo, Roscommon and Longford.
In terms of Garda resources in Mayo Division, I can confirm that at 31 January 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 331 Garda members to Mayo Division, of which 76 were assigned to Castlebar District and 71 members were assigned to Castlebar Garda station. I am further advised that there were 33 Garda staff members assigned to Castlebar Garda station at 31 January 2022, the latest date for which figures are available. This is an increase of 230% since December 2010 when there were 10 Garda staff assigned to the station.
This significant increase in Garda staff includes 24 additional staff members who are attached to the Business Services Area. This is alongside the Community Engagement Area, Property Management Area, Roads Policing, Crime Units, CPD School and Courts Office.
Detailed information on the Garda workforce is available on my Department's website at:
www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Garda_Workforce
For more general information on Garda facts and figures, the Deputy may also wish to see the information on the link below:
www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/An_Garda_Siochana_facts_and_figures
