Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
406. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the current total number of gardaí; the number currently in training; the number currently on leave; the number currently deployed overseas in an official capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19185/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, by law the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these operational matters.
I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that at 31 March 2023, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 14,036 Garda members and 3,130 Garda staff. This represents respective increases of almost 10% and 56% since end December 2015.
I am also informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently 218 Garda trainees attached to the Garda College.
I am further advised that at 31 March 2023 there were 53 Garda members on a career break.
The table below, furnished to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of Garda members who are on secondment outside the State as of 31 March 2023, the latest date for which figures are available. Please note that this information is based upon operational data which has been provided by An Garda Síochána and may be subject to change.
|
Organisation |
Number of Gardaí at 31/03/2023 |
|
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) |
11 |
|
Europol (The Netherlands) |
2 |
|
Interpol (France) |
2 |
|
Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC)(N) (Portugal) |
1 |
|
Total |
16 |
For the Deputy's information, detailed statistics on Garda workforce numbers are published on gov.ie and are updated regularly by my Department from information provided by An Garda Síochána. The statistics can be accessed using the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/.
