The number of gardai in each garda station in the Dublin northern division and in the Dublin western division.

​QUESTION


* To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in each garda station in the Dublin northern division and in the Dublin western division as of 30 September 2017; and the number of new recruits assigned to each division since recruitment resumed in 2014.

- Darragh O'Brien T.D.

For ORAL answer on Thursday, 19 October, 2017.

* To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in each garda station in the Dublin southern division and in the Dublin eastern division as of 30 September 2017; and the number of new recruits assigned to each division since recruitment resumed in 2014.

- John Lahart T.D.

For ORAL answer on Thursday, 19 October, 2017.

* To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in each garda station in the Dublin north central division and in the Dublin south central division as of 30 September 2017; and the number of new recruits assigned to each division since recruitment resumed in 2014.

- Seán Haughey T.D.

For ORAL answer on Thursday, 19 October, 2017.


REPLY

I should say at the outset that the distribution of Gardaí is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner.
I can say however that 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.  The substantial increase in Garda numbers is tangible progress on achieving this  Government's vision of an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.
I am pleased to say that Budget 2018 will support the continuation of this high level of investment in the Garda workforce and ensure that the vision of an overall workforce of 21,000 by 2021 remains on track. A further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College, an additional 500 civilians will also be recruited 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 early in 2018.
This focus on investment in personnel is critical. 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 Garda Division, including the Divisions of the Dublin Metropolitan Region, in the coming years.
Notwithstanding the Commissioner's responsibility for the distribution of Gardaí, I have provided for the record a breakdown of the detailed information requested by the Deputy in tabular form in relation to the number of Gardaí allocated to each Garda station in the Dublin Metropolitan Region as of 31 August 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available, as provided by the Garda Commissioner. 
The Garda Divisions referred to form the Dublin Metropolitan Region and I am informed by the Commissioner that the Garda strength of the Region on that date was 3,467. There are also 181 Garda Reserves and 208 civilians attached to the Region. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. 
I am further informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, close to 1,400 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, 631 of whom have been assigned to the Dublin Metropolitan Region.  I have also provided in tabular form a breakdown of the allocation of these new recruits by Division within the DMR. In addition, another 200 trainee Garda are scheduled to attest later this year which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increase to around the 13,500 mark by year end - an increase of 500 since the end of 2016.