14. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of gardaí in County Meath; if he is aware that County Meath has for years had the lowest number of gardaí per population in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48865/26]

Sentiment score: 0.12

As regards those figures, it is 323 gardaí in Meath compared with 335 in 2020. The current figures are up a little bit on last year but, compared with 2009 and 2010, we have seen practically no increase. At the same time, we have had a very significant increase in population. The Minister of State outlined the type of consideration the Garda Commissioner makes in terms of allocation of resources, and one of them is local population and trends, and geographical area and size. There must be no weight on that consideration, if County Meath is anything to go by. What efforts will the Minister of State make to bring County Meath up the ranking tables in terms of the number of gardaí per population, so that it is at least commensurate with other counties of a similar size?

Sentiment score: 0.06

There are 220,000 people in County Meath and there are 323 gardaí. Whatever way we cut it up, rural or urban, and the division between them, that is nowhere near enough. I have two specific points. Some of it is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. The resource allocation model has to be reflective of the growing population and of the demands in the community. One of the issues is the number of training stations. The number of stations that new recruits can actually be deployed to is limited. That has to be reviewed. The Minister of State has a target set out, and she referenced the annual service plan, of 14,820 sworn gardaí by the end of the year. Will she hit that target?

Sentiment score: -0.02