Wednesday, 29 Nov 2017

Written Answers Nos. 215-249

Garda Civilian Staff Data

Ceisteanna (215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224)

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

215. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring an additional member of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51043/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

216. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring 50 additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51044/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

217. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring one hundred additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51045/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

218. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring 200 additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51046/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

219. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring 300 members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51047/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

220. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring 400 additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51048/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

221. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring five hundred additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51049/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

222. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring six hundred additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51050/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

223. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring seven hundred additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51051/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

224. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of hiring 800 additional members of civilian Garda staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51052/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 224, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.

I am informed by the Commissioner that, as of the 31 October 2017, the latest date for which numbers are readily available there were 2,151 full time civilian staff members working throughout the organisation carrying out senior management, administrative and technical roles.  

As part of its Five Year Reform and High-level Workforce Plan for An Garda Síochána, the Government has agreed an overall vision for a Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 to include 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Garda Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. The projected 4,000 civilians will effectively double the current figure and represents a medium-term target of a Garda organisation 20% comprised of civilians.

Additional funding for the recruitment of up to 500 civilians has been provided in Budget 2018 to facilitate the Commissioner in addressing capacity and critical skills gaps across the organisation including in corporate supports, change management, human resources and financial management at the national, regional and Divisional level. These appointments are intended to facilitate deeper civilianisation in the coming years.

The Deputy will appreciate that the cost of recruiting Garda civilian staff in any given year is dependent on the mix of grades involved, however for the purposes of estimating the cost of civilian staff generally, an average figure of €43,000.

On that basis, the following table outlines costings for sample numbers of recruitments and it enables the Deputy to extrapolate the figures for the specific numbers requested by him. 

Number of Garda Civilians to be recruited	Estimated Annual Cost
100	€4,300,000
200	€8,600,000
400	€17,200,000
600	€25,800,000
800	€34,400,000

Garda Reserve

Ceisteanna (225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249)

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

225. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 50 members; and the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51053/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

226. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 100 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51054/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

227. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 120 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51055/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

228. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 150 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51056/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

229. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 200 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51057/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

230. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 250 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51058/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

231. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 300 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51059/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

232. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 400 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51060/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

233. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 500 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51061/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

234. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 600 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51062/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

235. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 700 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51063/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

236. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 800 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51064/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

237. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 900 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51065/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

238. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,000 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51066/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

239. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,200 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51067/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

240. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,400 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51068/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

241. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,500 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51069/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

242. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,600 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51070/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

243. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,700 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51071/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

244. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 1,800 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51072/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

245. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,000 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51073/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

246. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,200 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51074/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

247. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the first and full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,400 members; the cost for the second, third, fourth and fifth year respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51075/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

248. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve by 2,500 members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51076/17]

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

249. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the full year cost of increasing the strength of the Garda Reserve to 2,500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51077/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 to 249, inclusive, together.

The Deputy will be aware that the Government has in place a commitment for 2000 Reserve Members by 2021.

It is regrettable that the strength of the Reserve as of 30 September 2017 (the latest date for which figures are available) was 607. However, this is partly attributable to a substantial number of Reserves joining the Gardaí as full-time members in recent years.

It is also attributable to the need for Garda management and the Public Appointments Service to prioritise the running of recruitment campaigns for Garda trainees over those for Reserves. I am sure that the Deputy will agree, notwithstanding the very valuable contribution of Reserve members throughout the country, that this was the right call to make in the circumstances.

Fortunately, with Garda recruitment up and running successfully it was possible to enable a recruitment campaign for the Garda to get underway in March. It attracted approximately 2,400 applicants of whom around 1,600 were successful following assessment. To date approximately 500 applicants have been referred on to the Garda Appointment Office from the Public Appointment Service for vetting and medical. I am advised that applicants from this campaign will enter training in early 2018.

As the Deputy will be aware service in the Garda Reserve is voluntary and unpaid. However, an allowance is payable to Reserve members who complete a minimum of 208 hours duty annually as a contribution towards expenses incurred in performing their duties. The allowance is currently set at €1,000 per annum. As this is a fixed allowance it does not change year to year. In addition, the uniform cost per Reserve member is in the region of €1,300.

Reserves are also reimbursed for expenses incurred while attending court in respect of their service as a Reserve.

Thus, the cost of recruiting a new reserve is some €2,300 for the first year and €1,000 per annum thereafter assuming completion of the hours required. It is a relatively straightforward calculation thereafter to calculate the costs involved for the numbers set out in the Deputy’s questions.

As far as increasing the reserve from 607 to 2,500, the cost would be some €4.35 million (i.e. 1,893 x €2,300).