Garda staffing for continuous coverage
De Rossa asked how many Gardaí are needed to keep one officer on the beat around the clock. The Minister estimated that a small station staffed continuously by three people could require 12 to 14 Gardaí.
Arising from the Minister's reply in relation to Lucan policing the Leixlip area, can he indicate approximately how many gardaí are required in an area to keep one garda on the beat around the clock? Allowing for the number of gardaí who may be on leave, off duty, or sick, how many gardaí are required to ensure the presence of one garda on the beat?
Comment on this
(Limerick East): The Deputy has pointed to a particular difficulty in operational matters. I could not do the mental arithmetic required at the moment. In general, if you open a small Garda station in a community you would need a garda sergeant, a garda and somebody on communications, that is, three people in the station. It would probably take something like 12, 13 or 14 to keep the three there for 24 hours a day seven days a week. I presume the point the Deputy is making is that with a roster system you would need a very large number since policing is a 24 hour a day seven days a week job.