Headline crime statistics from 2000 to 2005 for the Garda Division of Roscommon / Galway East, which includes the Garda District of Ballinasloe, are contained in the relevant Garda Annual Reports which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
I 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 the Roscommon/ Galway East Division as at 16 May, 2006 was 252. The personnel strength (all ranks) of each District as at 16 May, 2006 was as set out in a table:
District
|
Strength
|
Ballinasloe
|
53
|
Boyle
|
38
|
Castlerea
|
43
|
Roscommon
|
63
|
Tuam
|
55
|
Garda management state that the five District Headquarters Stations, referred to in the table above, are open to the public on a 24 hour basis.
Garda personnel assignments 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 the Roscommon/ Galway East Division will be given the fullest consideration.