Emmet Stagg
Ceist:153 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the new Garda station in Derrinturn, County Kildare is fully operational. [17773/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 11 May 2006
Ceisteanna (153, 154)
Freagraí scríofa
The new station at Derrinturn/Carbury has been completed by the Office of Public Works. I am advised by the Garda authorities that preparations are being finalised so that the station will be fully operational within the next few weeks.
Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:154 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the Garda strength and opening hours of the station in Castletownbere, County Cork; the number of Garda stations in Beara; the Garda strength in each and the opening hours. [17792/06]
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 (all ranks) of An Garda Síochána as at 31 March 2006 was 12,439. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737 (or 16.2%) in the personnel strength of the Force during that period.
I have been further informed that the personnel strength (all ranks) of each Garda station in Beara, County Cork as at 10 May, 2006 was as set out in the table hereunder:
|
Station |
Strength |
|
Castletownbere |
5 |
|
Adrigole |
0 |
|
Glengarriff |
2 |
Local Garda management states that applications have been sought to fill the vacancy at the official accommodation attached to Adrigole Garda Station.
Garda management further states that the official opening hours of all three Garda stations are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily depending on the rostered tour of duty of members attached to each Garda station.
Garda personnel assigned 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 Garda service is provided to the general public.
I should also say that the current recruitment drive to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members in line with the commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government is fully on target. This will lead to a combined strength, of both attested Gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of this year. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the first group of newly attested Gardaí under the accelerated recruitment programme came on stream in March and a further 275 newly attested Gardaí will come on stream every 90 days from here on in.
The Garda Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and in this context the needs of Beara will be given the fullest consideration.