Pearse Doherty
Question:855. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 33 of 25 May 2023, how often the information is collated. [27095/23]
View answerTuesday, 13 June 2023
Questions (855, 856)
Pearse Doherty
Question:856. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 33 of 25 May 2023, if there are any vacancies at the station; and if so, the number. [27097/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 855 and 856 together.
It is my understanding that the Deputy is referring to Parliamentary Question No. 41 of 25 May which sought the number of gardaí assigned to Gaeltacht regions; the number assigned to each station; the number who are fluent in Irish; the same number with respect to each, in each year since 2009.
As the Deputy is aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of Garda business, which includes the collation of all internal Garda Human Resources statistics. Garda HR statistics are provided regularly to my Department and on an ad hoc basis where required if the information is not part of the regular provision of statistics.
The Commissioner is also responsible, under section 33 of the Act, for the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State. As Minister, I play no role in these independent functions and am unable to seek to direct or otherwise influence the Commissioner in these matters.
The Deputy will also be aware that the Commissioner is responsible for recruitment and training of Garda members and staff under the Act. A separate Irish language stream is available for applicants who have the required proficiency in Irish to apply to become members of An Garda Síochána.
The Garda authorities have advised my Department that the figures provided as part of Parliamentary Question No. 41 of 25 May 2023 reflect what individual Garda members have declared to Human Resources in An Garda Síochána regarding their competency in Irish.
I am further advised that the station complement of 10 is correct as of 7 June, comprising 1 Sergeant and 9 Gardaí. Since 2016, due to retirements and lateral transfers, there has been a reduction in the members assigned to the station. Divisional management have indicated that, consequently, there are 3 open positions identified in the station at Garda rank. Additional Probationer Gardaí have been requested for the Division, which would enable an expansion of resources to Community Hubs, such as An Bun Beag Garda Station.
As the station is situated in the Donegal Gaeltacht and Irish is widely, and sometimes exclusively, spoken in the community, proficiency in the Irish language is a desirable requirement for Garda members attached to An Bun Beag.
The Garda authorities also advise that while members may be allocated to a particular station they may, for operational reasons, be deployed elsewhere. An Bun Beag Garda Station is patrolled by Milford District Headquarters which is opened on a 24/7 basis.
I am advised that the Garda Commissioner and his management team keep the distribution of resources under constant review, in light of local policing needs, crime trends and population trends.
Question No. 856 answered with Question No. 855.