James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter on the number of gardaí, as well as Garda staff, assigned to Borris, Carlow, Hacketstown, Muine Bheag, Myshall, Rathvilly and Tullow stations.

The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I were pleased to secure unprecedented funding of over €2.35 billion for this year, a 25% increase since 2020, which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

At the end of June, the latest date for which published figures are available, there were more than 14,000 Garda members assigned across the country, an increase since 2015 when there were 12,816 gardaí. While the Garda Commissioner is operationally responsible for the allocation of Garda resources, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I engage regularly with him to ensure our gardaí have the resources they need. I am informed that when consideration is given to the allocation and transfer of Garda members to and from any division, account is given to commitments and undertakings outlined in the annual policing plan and priorities as determined in delivering A Policing Service for The Future.

I understand that the requirements of all Garda divisions nationwide are also taken into account, which include: local and national crime trends and workloads; policing arrangements and operational strategies; minimum establishment statistics; local population and trends, geographical area and size; and transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns.

At the end of June this year, there were 310 Garda members assigned to the Kilkenny-Carlow division, with 98 Garda members assigned to the Carlow community engagement area, including 79 gardaí, 14 sergeants, four inspectors and one superintendent. This represents an increase of more than 9% since the end of 2015. At the end of June, there were 74 Garda members assigned to Carlow Garda station, with 57 gardaí, 12 sergeants, four inspectors and one superintendent. A total of ten Garda members were assigned to Tullow Garda station, with nine gardaí and one sergeant, and ten Garda members were assigned to Mhuine Bheag Garda station, with nine gardaí and one sergeant. Borris, Hacketstown, Myshall and Rathvilly Garda stations are smaller stations and have lower numbers of gardaí assigned to each. Under the operating model, they are also supported by their wider community engagement functional area.

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