John Lahart
Ceist:137. Deputy John Lahart asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí employed in Tallaght Garda station, Dublin 24; and the breakdown between rank and file. [22592/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 19 July 2016
Ceisteanna (137)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
Tallaght Garda station forms part of the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) South Division. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that on 31 May 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 175 members assigned to Tallaght Garda station - 150 Gardaí, 21 Sergeants, 3 Inspectors and 1 Superintendent.
As the Deputy will be aware, when the financial crisis hit, the Government of the time introduced a moratorium on recruitment and the four year National Recovery Plan, published in 2010, envisaged a steady reduction in Garda numbers. Thankfully, in a recovering economy, we were able to reopen the Garda College in September 2014, and a total of 851 Garda trainees have been recruited with a further 300 planned to be recruited during the remainder of this year. So far 534 of the new Garda trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream uniform duties nationwide with another 150 more planned to attest in November. Of these, 40 newly attested members have been assigned to the DMR South Garda Division.
The Programme for Government, "A Programme for a Partnership Government" commits to continuing the ongoing accelerated Garda recruitment programme with a view to increasing Garda numbers to 15,000. Taking account of projected retirements, the current rate of recruitment will bring Garda numbers to around the 13,000 mark this year. We must, I believe, endeavour to make more rapid progress than this to reach our target of 15,000 and I am engaging with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in relation to increasing the planned annual intake this year and in coming years.