Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
339 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will take steps to allocate additional manpower resources to increase Garda strength in the Athlone division and district; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33428/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of Athlone Garda district is 61, all ranks.
Local Garda management are satisfied that the resources currently in place in Athlone are adequate to meet the present policing needs of the district. Garda personnel deployments throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible service is provided to the public.
On Garda resources generally, I am, of course, very pleased that the Government has approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members on a phased basis, in line with An Agreed Programme for Government commitment in this regard. This is a key commitment in the programme for Government, and its implementation will significantly strengthen the operational capacity of the force.
The commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources. In this context, the needs of the Athlone district of the Longford-Westmeath division will be fully considered within the context of the needs of Garda divisions throughout the country during future allocations of probationer gardaí and, where possible, by way of permanent transfer of members to that division. Clearly, of course, the additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies in particular areas with a significant drugs problem and a large number of public order offences, but it will be possible to address other priorities as well, such as the need to very significantly increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties as part of the new Garda traffic corps. One thing I have already promised is that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into frontline, operational, high visibility policing. They will have a real impact.
In each of the next three years there will be an intake of almost 1,100 new recruits per year. The advertisement campaign for this first tranche of 1,100 recruits was launched on Thursday, 25 November 2004.
