Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the extent to which the strength of the Garda force has increased since he took up office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3758/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the 2,000 extra gardaí promised, have not been delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3760/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 183 together.

On 31 December 1997 the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána stood at 10,968. Under this Government's first term in office, the strength of the force was increased steadily and when I took up office as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in June 2002, the strength of the Garda Síochána stood at 11,748.

After June 2002, and despite the cap on public service numbers announced in the budget of 2002, I proceeded with Government approval to increase the strength of the force to 12,200 by 2004, and I am pleased to say that target was achieved on time. On 31 December 2005 the strength of the force increased to 12,264. This represents an increase of 1,296, or 12%, in the strength of the Garda Síochána since 1997.

The timescale for achieving the target strength of 14,000 members of the Garda Síochána in line with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government remains as indicated when I announced the Government decision in October 2004 to proceed with this expansion of the organisation. Garda management advise me that the first incremental increase of attested gardaí due to the accelerated recruitment will take place next month, March 2006. As part of the accelerated recruitment campaign to facilitate this process, 1,125 Garda recruits were inducted to the Garda college between 1 January 2005 and 1 January 2006, as set out in the table below:

The college will induct 1,100 recruits this year and a further 1,100 in 2007, by way of intakes to the Garda college of approximately 275 recruits every quarter. In this regard, the Garda authorities plan that intakes of 275 student gardaí will commence training in 2006 on the dates as set out hereunder:

The phased increase in the strength of the Garda Síochána will lead to a combined strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of this year. The project to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 is fully on target and will be achieved. The Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources. Clearly, the additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government.

The programme identifies particular areas with a significant drugs problem and a large number of public order offences, but it will be possible to address other priorities as well, such as the need to very significantly increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties as part of the new Garda traffic corps. I have already promised that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties. They will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing. They will have a real impact.