Garda Strength

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 February 2012

Thursday, 9 February 2012

Ceisteanna (147, 148, 149, 150, 151)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

149 Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown, by grade and by station, of Garda staffing levels in the Dublin metropolitan area on 1 March 2011 and on 1 Febuary 2011. [7285/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter)

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the figures requested by the Deputy are compiled on the last date for each month. The break down by Garda Station and rank in the Dublin Metropolitan Region on the 31 January and 28 February 2011 was as set out in the table below.

Station	31/01/2011	28/02/2011
	C/Supt	Supt	Insp	Sgt	Gda	C/Supt	Supt	Insp	Sgt	Gda
Blackrock			4	12	83			4	12	82
Dundrum			1	9	66			1	9	65
Stepaside				3	26				3	27
Cabinteely			1	6	32			1	5	33
Dalkey				2	27				2	29
Dún Laoghaire	1	2	3	19	87	1	2	3	19	83
Kill O Grange				2	26				2	27
Shankill			1	10	47			1	11	47
Balbriggan		1	3	6	59		1	3	6	59
Garristown				1	2				1	2
Lusk				1	6				1	6
Rush				1	4				1	4
Skerries				1	10				1	10
Ballymun	1	1	2	24	100	1	1	2	23	99
Dublin Airport				4	18				4	18
Santry			3	9	70			3	9	70
Whitehall			2	5	36			2	5	37
Coolock		1	5	13	101		1	5	13	100
Malahide				5	33				5	32
Swords			1	12	72			1	11	73
Clontarf			1	10	68			1	10	68
Howth			1	5	32			1	5	32
Raheny		1	3	8	63		1	3	8	63
Bridewell		1	7	32	137		1	7	31	136
Fitzgibbon Street		1	4	14	96		1	4	14	96
Mountjoy				11	89				11	89
Store Street	1	2	5	32	248	1	2	5	32	244
Crumlin	1	2	5	17	82	1	2	5	17	82
Sundrive Road				11	65				11	65
Rathmines				8	60				9	60
Terenure		1	6	16	82		1	6	16	82
Rathfarnham				8	68				8	67
Tallaght		1	5	19	174		1	5	19	174
Donnybrook		1	3	12	113		1	3	13	113
Irishtown			1	9	44			1	7	43
Kevin Street		1	6	13	136		1	6	13	138
Kilmainham				16	67				16	65
Harcourt Tce				9	71				11	71
Pearse Street	1	2	7	33	222	1	2	7	31	220
Blanchardstown	1	2	4	31	157	1	2	4	31	157
Cabra				8	60				8	62
Finglas			3	14	105			3	14	104
Ballyfermot			2	13	85			2	13	85
Clondalkin		1	3	13	83		1	3	13	83
Rathcoole				2	26				2	26
Lucan		1	3	9	67		1	3	9	67
Ronanstown			1	14	81			1	14	80

For the information of the Deputy I have also attached the figures for the 31 December 2011, the latest date for which figures are readily available.

Station	31/12/2011
	C/Supt	Supt	Insp	Sgt	Gda
Blackrock		1	4	10	76
Dundrum			1	9	63
Stepaside				3	26
Cabinteely			1	5	32
Dalkey				2	29
Dún Laoghaire	1	2	2	18	81
Kill O Grange				2	27
Shankill			1	9	47
Balbriggan		1	3	6	60
Garristown				1	2
Lusk				1	5
Rush				1	4
Skerries				1	10
Ballymun	1	1	2	18	91
Dublin Airport				6	27
Santry			3	9	69
Whitehall			2	5	37
Coolock		1	5	13	98
Malahide				4	31
Swords			1	10	66
Clontarf			1	9	67
Howth				6	33
Raheny		1	3	6	58
Bridewell		1	6	29	131
Fitzgibbon Street		1	4	14	94
Mountjoy				11	89
Store Street	1	2	5	28	238
Crumlin	1	1	4	16	80
Sundrive Road				11	60
Rathmines				7	59
Terenure		1	5	15	78
Rathfarnham				8	65
Tallaght		1	5	19	169
Donnybrook		1	3	13	105
Irishtown			1	7	44
Kevin Street		1	6	11	135
Kilmainham				16	58
Harcourt Tce				11	68
Pearse Street	1	2	7	27	218
Blanchardstown	1	2	4	24	155
Cabra				9	66
Finglas			3	14	103
Ballyfermot			2	11	83
Clondalkin		1	3	13	81
Rathcoole				2	25
Lucan		1	4	6	61
Ronanstown			1	15	81

The Deputy will appreciate that these station's strengths are augmented by members of national units, e.g. CAB, GBFI, NBCI and other specialist units, as when required.

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

150 Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of numbers and grades of members of the Garda who have applied for the public service early retirement scheme; and if he will supply a breakdown of the stations to which these retirees are currently attached. [7286/12]

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

152 Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of staff, by grade, within the various specialist crime units of the Garda who have applied for the public service early retirement scheme. [7288/12]

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

165 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of early retirements taken in 2012 from Garda stations in the following locations (details supplied); and if he will provide a breakdown of the retirements by Garda station. [7428/12]

Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 150, 152 and 165 together.

Members of An Garda Síochána who joined the force prior to 1 April 2004 may retire on full pension once they have served for at least 30 years and they have reached 50 years of age. Members of An Garda Síochána who joined the Force on or after 1 April 2004 may retire on full pension once they have served at least 30 years and have reached 55 years of age. In both cases members must retire once they reach 60 years of age.

Members of An Garda Síochána who are over 50 years of age and do not have 30 years service may also avail of a cost neutral early retirement (C.N.E.R.) scheme. Their pension and lumps sums are actuarially reduced depending on their length of service and age at the time of retirement.

Almost all Gardaí take voluntary retirement i.e. they leave before the compulsory retirement age of 60 years of age, rather than early retirement. In 2010 there were 353 voluntary retirements, 9 compulsory retirements and 1 CNER, and in 2011 there were 428 voluntary retirements, 8 compulsory retirements and 2 CNER's.

Public servants, including Gardaí, who retire on or before 29 February 2012 will receive pension benefits based on their salary scales applicable on 31 December 2009 and they, like others presently in receipt of public service pensions, will pay a Public Service Pension Reduction (P.S.P.R.) on their pensions thereafter. This reduction is a scaled percentage of their actual pension. Public servants, including Gardaí, who retire after 29 February will receive pension benefits based on their then current salary scales (as already affected by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009) but they will not pay the Public Service Pension Reduction on their pensions.

I have been informed by the Commissioner that since 1 January 2010, 3 members have availed of the CNER scheme, details of which are in the table below. No one from the specialist crime units has applied for the CNER scheme.

Cost Neutral Early Retirements — 01.01.10-29.02.12 (as at 06.02.12).

Rank	Station	Year of Retirement
1 Garda	Charlestown	2011
1 Sergeant	Clara	2011
1 Sergeant	Garda HQ	2010

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

151 Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of staffing levels, by grade, within the various specialist crime units within the Garda on 1 March 2011. [7287/12]

Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter)

I wish to advise the Deputy that it has not been possible to provide the information required in the limited time available. However, the information is currently being collated and will be sent to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Question No. 152 answered with Question No. 150.