Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
40. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice the personnel located in each of the Dublin Garda stations (and not to include regional personnel hosted in Tallaght); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/23]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this policy. Since 2015, the Government has increased the budget for An Garda Síochána by approximately €672m, or 46%. This has allowed for sustained and ongoing recruitment.
As the Deputy will be aware, by law the Commissioner is responsible for the administration of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the various Garda Divisions. Neither Minister Harris nor I have any direct role in these operational matters. I am assured however that the Commissioner and his management team keep the distribution of resources under constant review, in light of local policing needs and crime trends.
I can advise the Deputy that as of 31 March this year, the latest date for which figures are available, there are 3,675 Gardaí assigned to stations in the six Divisions within the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), which is an increase of 5% on 2015. A further 97 members are assigned to DMR Headquarters and DMR Roads Policing.
I can further advise the Deputy that the number of Garda staff assigned to stations in the six divisions has increased to 413, as of 31 March this year, from 210 in 2015. These numbers represent an increase of almost 50%.
A full breakdown of personnel assigned to each station is published on the Garda website. My Department will arrange to send those figures to the Deputy’s office later today.
This year’s Garda recruitment campaign closed last Friday and I am pleased to say that interest in joining the ranks of An Garda Síochána remains high.
