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 informed by the Garda Commissioner that in regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Garda Division. It is the responsibility of the Divisional Officer to allocate personnel within his/her Division.
I am further informed that the Garda strength of the Louth Division, on the 30 September 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 302. There are also 33 Garda Reserves and 23 civilians attached to the Division. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (formerly the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation) and the Garda National Drugs and Organise Crime Bureau.
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 deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. In 2017, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians to support the wide ranging reform plan in train in An Garda Síochána. Appointments will also be made to the Garda Reserve of approximately 300.
Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 will require some 3,200 new Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over the next four years in addition to the 1,200 that will have been recruited by the end of this year since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014. This is an ambitious target and will require a continuous pipeline of suitable candidates. I am pleased to say that the recruitment campaign launched by the
Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Commissioner last September, the second campaign this year, again received a strong response.
Since the reopening of the Garda College, 683 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána, 149 of these attested today Thursday, 17 November and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. I am informed that so far 23 of these probationer Garda have been assigned to the Louth Division. The attestation of these further 149 probationer Garda will bring the Garda strength to around the 13,000 mark by year end.
The tables set out the number of members of An Garda Síochána by rank stationed in each Garda Station in County Louth, for each of the years since 2011 to 30 September 2016 the latest date for which figures are readily available.