As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner 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 advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in implementing the Garda Diversion Programme. Their role includes the administration of formal and informal cautions as well as appropriate supervision of children who have been admitted to the Diversion Programme, as provided in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001.
I am informed by the Commissioner that the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested, as JLOs are assigned on a Garda Divisional basis.
For the Deputy's information I have set out in the table the number of Gardaí who were assigned to JLO duties in the Cork City Division from 31 December 2009 up to 31 May 2018, the latest date for which figures are available.
Juvenile Liaison Officers Cork City Division 2009-2018
Year
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018*
|
Amount
|
7
|
6
|
8
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
7
|