Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to increase the number of gardaí along the Border areas in County Donegal to deal with the increase in criminal activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9537/14]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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43. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the numbers of Garda personnel serving in County Donegal for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. [9726/14]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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45. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to provide additional Garda resources to County Donegal in view of the ongoing level of burglaries along the border area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9536/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 43 and 45 together.

As the Deputies will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts and I have no direct function the matter. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

I share the Deputies' concerns in relation to burglaries and other crimes. I am aware that in order to counter these recent crimes the Garda Commissioner established a Divisional Operation which is currently in force in the Donegal Division. Additional resources are being deployed in the area and with a particular focus on crimes against the elderly. The Gardaí are determined to identify those responsible for this criminal activity and to bring them before the Courts.

This operation, consisting of intelligence led patrols, checkpoints, intelligence gathering and analysis is being run in conjunction with the National and Regional Operations Fiacla and Airgead, which were specifically set up to combat instances of criminality, including burglary and related crimes. Targeted patrolling has been intensified following the recent incidents of burglaries and related crimes and there is ongoing and excellent liaison between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána.

Members of An Garda Síochána are utilising all available resources and legislation. An Garda Síochána will continue to develop and implement strategies available to dismantle and disrupt criminal networks, utilising advanced analytical and intelligence methods to facilitate targeted operations in order to enable early intervention and prevention of such crimes. Garda actions to counteract burglary have been very successful and under Operation Fiacla have led to the arrest of 7,973 persons and 4,558 persons being charged as of 31 January 2014.

There are 409 Gardaí assigned to the Donegal Division together with 28 Garda Reserves and 29 civilian staff. There are also national units such as the Garda National Drug Unit and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation which are also available to help the Gardaí when needed. The personnel strength of each Garda Station in the Donegal Garda Division on 31 December 2007 to 2013 and on 31 January 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, is set out in a table:

*On 11 November 2013, Glenties District was realigned into 3 expanded Districts of Ballyshannon, Milford and Letterkenny