Garda Recruitment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Ceisteanna (831, 832)

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

831. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda recruits assigned to the Cavan and Monaghan Garda division in each district since recruitment resumed in Templemore in 2014, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33390/18]

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

832. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda recruits assigned to each Garda division since recruitment resumed in Templemore in 2014, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33393/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 831 and 832 together.

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

This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. To achieve this the Government has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. We are making real, tangible progress on achieving this goal.

The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Division as new Garda recruits come on stream. The work of local Gardaí is also supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and these specialist units are also receiving significant investment.

I am informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, almost 2,000 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. Garda numbers, taking account of retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 – a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016. This year a further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College and we are on track to reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.

In addition, funding has been provided to recruit a further 500 civilians to fill critical skills gaps across the organisation and to facilitate the redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and technical duties to front-line operational duties. There are plans to strengthen the Garda Reserve with new Reserves expected to commence training in 2018.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical and I am pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce to ensure that the overall vision for 2021 remains on track.

For the Deputy's information I have set out in the table, as supplied by the Commissioner, the latest figures as requested.

DIVISION	STATION	2015	2016	2017	2018	Total
D.M.R. EAST	DUN LAOGHAIRE	5	10	18	5	38
	BLACKROCK	4	9	6	4	23
	DUNDRUM			13	3	16
D.M.R. NORTH	BALLYMUN	9		20	9	38
	SANTRY		9			9
	BALBRIGGAN		5	18	4	27
	COOLOCK	5	5	13	7	30
	SWORDS		10	5	2	17
	RAHENY	5		10	6	21
	CLONTARF		5	4	2	11
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL	STORE STREET	12	21	26	18	77
	BRIDEWELL		10	20	10	40
	MOUNTJOY	10	13	23	18	64
D.M.R. SOUTH	CRUMLIN	4	7	8	6	25
	SUNDRIVE ROAD	5	2	9	2	18
	TALLAGHT	10	10	21	20	61
	RATHFARNHAM			5		5
	RATHMINES		14	9	4	27
	TERENURE			14		14
D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL	PEARSE STREET	11	24	44	15	94
	KEVIN STREET	5	8	14	15	42
	KILMAINHAM	5	5	5		15
	IRISHTOWN		5	5	2	12
	DONNYBROOK			10	2	12
D.M.R. WEST	BLANCHARDSTOWN	4	13	29	13	59
	FINGLAS	5	9	17	10	41
	CLONDALKIN	5	5	9	9	28
	BALLYFERMOT	5	5	4	8	22
	LUCAN	5		4	8	17
	RONANSTOWN	5	3	10	9	27
KILDARE	NAAS	5	5	24	6	40
	KILDARE		9	5	2	16
	NEWBRIDGE	5		8		13
	LEIXLIP	4	5	10	5	24
LAOIS / OFFALY	PORTLAOISE	4	15	32	5	56
	TULLAMORE	5	5	10	6	26
MEATH	NAVAN	5	10	15	4	34
	ASHBOURNE		9	15	6	30
WESTMEATH	ATHLONE		5	7		12
	MULLINGAR	5		15		20
WICKLOW	BRAY	7		14	5	26
	WICKLOW			5	5	10
CAVAN / MONAGHAN	MONAGHAN	5	1	7	10	23
	CAVAN	5	7	10	3	25
	CARRICKMACROSS			5	9	14
DONEGAL	LETTERKENNY	10	5	13	9	37
LOUTH	DROGHEDA	5	4	16	8	33
	DUNDALK	5	13	18	7	43
SLIGO / LEITRIM	SLIGO	5	5	8		18
KILKENNY/CARLOW	KILKENNY	5	5	19	4	33
	CARLOW	4	5	11		20
TIPPERARY	THURLES	5	5	5		15
	CLONMEL		4	11		15
	NENAGH		5	5	4	14
WATERFORD	WATERFORD	14	10	24	11	59
	DUNGARVAN			3	5	8
	TRAMORE			3	2	5
WEXFORD	WEXFORD	9	5	15	4	33
	ENNISCORTHY	5	5	11	2	23
	GOREY				3	3
	NEW ROSS			8	2	10
CORK CITY	ANGLESEA STREET	7	5	7		19
	GURRANABRAHER			4	5	9
	MAYFIELD			5	5	10
	TOGHER			10	5	15
CORK NORTH	MALLOW		5	5		10
	MIDLETON			5	5	10
	FERMOY			5		5
CORK WEST	BANDON	5		10		15
	CLONAKILTY			5	4	9
KERRY	TRALEE	9		10	2	21
	KILLARNEY			7	6	13
LIMERICK	HENRY STREET	5	12	14	10	41
	ROXBORO ROAD	4	5	4	9	22
CLARE	ENNIS	10	5	10	5	30
	KILRUSH				3	3
GALWAY	GALWAY	5	5	7	7	24
	SALTHILL			3		3
MAYO	CASTLEBAR	5		10		15
	BALLINA			4		4
ROSCOMMON / LONGFORD	LONGFORD		5			5
	ROSCOMMON			5		5
	CASTLEREA			5		5
TOTAL		286	391	880	404	1961