Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 July 2026
325. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide details of Garda resources assigned to Ballinrobe; the number of Garda members currently assigned to the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52422/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution and stationing of Garda personnel and resources throughout the State. I engage regularly with the Commissioner and I am assured that the resourcing of each Garda Division is fully considered within the overall context of the needs and requirements of Garda Divisions throughout the country.
As Minister, my priority is getting more Gardaí into all our communities by supporting increased recruitment and appropriate civilianisation where possible. A Garda budget of €2.74 billion in 2026 will fund the recruitment of up to 1,000 new Gardaí, 200 more Garda staff and additional members of the Garda Reserve.
The Garda Commissioner and his senior management team keep the distribution of resources under ongoing review and I understand that, when allocating and transferring Garda members to and from any Division, consideration is given to commitments and undertakings outlined in the Annual Policing Plan.
The Commissioner also takes the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide 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;
• Transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns.
An Garda Síochána publishes information in relation to the allocation of Garda personnel nationally. This includes a breakdown of Garda Members assigned to Ballinrobe Station in the Mayo / Roscommon /Longford Division. Information for 2026, in addition to data for previous years, can be found at the following link:
www.garda.ie/en/information-centre/garda-statistics/human%20resources/
An Garda Síochána publishes detailed information on the Garda fleet from 2008 to date. Monthly Fleet reports that include a Divisional breakdown are also currently available from 2020 to March 2026. This is publicly available on their website at the following link:
www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/finance-services/finance-fleet-management.html.
