262. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the breakdown of Garda personnel, by rank, assigned to the Mayo division of An Garda Síochána for all years from 2016 to 2024; the steps being taken to increase these numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43693/24]

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of Garda members throughout the State.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Division.

I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that personnel assigned throughout the country, together with the overall policing arrangements and operational strategies are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of resources and the best possible policing service is provided to the general public.

The Government is committed to supporting Garda recruitment. In Budget 2025 over €2.48 billion has been allocated to An Garda Síochána. This is a 27% increase since 2020 and will allow for the sustained recruitment of new Garda recruits through to next year.

As of the end of June, the latest date for which verified and published figures are available, there were over 14,000 Garda members assigned across the country. This represents an increase of approximately 10% since 2015, when there were 12,816 Gardaí throughout the country.

A number of actions have been taken to support increased recruitment. We have increased the age of entry from 35 to 50 and most recently increased the training allowance to €354, representing an increase of over 92% in the last 12 months.

It is important to note that in 2022 the Mayo Division was merged into the Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Division under the New Operating Model. For this reason, I have included two tables below: one detailing Gardaí personnel by rank in the Mayo Division from 2016 to 2021, and another detailing Gardaí personnel by rank in the Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Division from 2022 to 2024.

As of June 2024, there are 581 Gardaí assigned to the Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Division, consisting of 443 Gardaí, 110 Sergeants, 22 Inspectors, 5 Superintendents, and 1 Chief Superintendent.

They are supported by 102 Garda staff members as of the same date. Garda staff provide vital administrative support and help free up Garda members to focus on front line duties.

The Deputy should be advised that all figures provided to me by the Garda authorities are operational and subject to change.

(GD – Garda, SG – Sergeant, IN – Inspector, SU – Superintendent, CS – Chief Superintendent)