Money from the proceeds of crime comes directly back into the Exchequer. A decision was then taken that this money should be ring-fenced, spent and put directly back into communities. We have increased it year on year. It started at €2 million, it went up to €3 million and it is now almost €4 million. My anticipation and hope is that it will continue to grow. With any new funding stream, particularly where we are looking for new and innovative projects, there is a body of work we need to continue to do to ensure th…

It is hard to respond in a minute. It is fair to say that there are many reasons people might feel safe or unsafe in their communities. It might be that a person is a victim of domestic abuse and is simply not safe in his or her own home. It might be that an elderly person does not feel safe due to antisocial behaviour. Another reason might be the impact of criminal organisations and organised crime groups, many of which are connected to drug dealing. The impact that has on communities is completely devastating and…

The unprecedented allocation of more than €2.3 billion to An Garda Síochána in this year's budget demonstrates a 23% increase since 2020. That demonstrates the Government's and my commitment to ensuring gardaí have the provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and above all, personnel that it needs to carry out its vital policing work. Since the reopening of the Garda College in 2014 a total of 143 new recruits have been assigned to the Meath division. This has contributed to the number of gardaí i…

As the Deputy knows, the deployment of gardaí is a matter for the Garda Commissioner who obviously looks at the requirements in each individual county. Our county and County Kildare are comparable in that they both saw a massive increase in population in a very short space of time. That resulted in some of the figures we now see in terms of the number of gardaí per population. Over the number of years we have responded in increasing those numbers. As I said, we have seen an increase of 15% of Garda members since 20…

It is a statement of fact that the Garda College was closed. That has resulted in skewed figures not just in County Meath but all over the country. Last year I allocated enough money for 1,000 new recruits. With the intake this week and at the end of the year we will see it will be closer to 800 if not slightly above 800 in the college, in training, or gone through the college. It is not 1,000 but it is not too far off. In similar recruitment campaigns before Covid-19, about 5,000 applied in that last campaign. In …

My overall ambition in this year’s budget was to ensure we could support An Garda Síochána in whatever way possible. This is not just by increasing their numbers, but by supporting those who are already active and doing great work on the ground. That is why we have allocated €2.3 billion, which is the largest figure ever for An Garda Síochána. It represents an increase of €172 million overall. That money is going towards making sure that when it comes to recruitment, money is not an issue. We will recruit between 8…

-----or when they are training in various stations. That is our way of supporting them and making sure they have the resources to be able to get into training and to take up what is a fantastic and valuable profession.

In terms of the overall numbers, we knew we would most likely see a drop. We have gone below 14,000, but we are now in a position where that is steadying. After the next intake, we will most likely be in a position where we will be above 14,000 again. We are moving in the right direction. The closure in the Garda College during Covid-19, as well as the fact that we are coming into a period where many members are retiring - simply because it is their time to do so and because they want to - we have been left with th…

-----and the systems and structures that are being put in place. There is a lot of change happening at present, and it is happening in a very short period. We have to acknowledge that. I know the Garda Commissioner acknowledges that a great deal of change is happening. That is why there are continuous reviews to make sure the new systems, online procedures, new roles and people’s tasks are continuously updated. As well as this, it ensures that the feedback we get from Garda members will be fed into any changes that…

However, the best way for us to support gardaí is by making sure we have more of them because this will lessen the workload. That is why when it comes to the Garda, recruitment is the number one priority, The latter will ensure that we have as many members as possible to lighten the load and lessen the burden that many members are experiencing at the moment.

I mentioned that a lot of change is happening, but change can be good as well.

One of the biggest changes in the new divisional model that is being rolled out is for teams of community gardaí in every small area across the country. That is only being rolled out. It is not yet in place in every county. We need more gardaí to populate the areas. We must ensure that for every small community there will be a community garda. Everybody will know who that person is and what their phone number is. If somebody has a problem, they will be able to ring them. These gardaí play a very special role within…

-----the training allowance. This year, we are actually investing in mental health support programmes, well-being programmes and programmes to benefit their health in general. We are supporting things such as the provision of clothing and armour. We will be supporting and investing further in vehicles, ICT and other technology. All these things will help to achieve a better working dynamic and support gardaí to do their job as efficiently and effectively as possible. In turn, I hope that will mean that fewer people…

However, we have to look at this as a very dynamic working environment at the moment. The attrition rate in An Garda Síochána was approximately 3% last year. In other jurisdictions, it is approximately 5.6%. We are not doing too badly overall.

The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and, of course, strengthening An Garda Síochána is at the core of that. The best way we can strengthen community policing is by supporting additional recruitment into An Garda Síochána. We will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and that people feel safe. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of up to €2.3 billion in budget 2024, which will allow for between 80…

While I cannot give an answer on where members will go, the Garda Commissioner, with his senior management, will consider the number of gardaí graduating from the college, the issues arising in various counties and divisions, overall Garda strength, the overall population and communities’ needs. We will then see resources being deployed. The most important measure I can take is to ensure that we have a steady flow of members passing through the college in order that as many areas as possible can benefit from the in…

In previous years, the highest number of people going through the college was approximately 1,000. It depends on the number of classes that can go through the college in any given year, which varies from four to five. Five classes will be in or have gone through Templemore this year. Next year, there will most likely be four starting. It is about ensuring that we fill those classes as much as we can. There is probably a maximum capacity of 2,500, which is why I have allocated funding for between 800 and 1,000 this …

When it comes to recruitment and retention, nothing is off the table. This is an area to which the Garda and I are committed. A new media campaign was launched across television, radio, newspapers and social media to promote the Garda trainee campaign. The Garda has also promoted it by engaging with communities across the country, including local engagement with third level institutions and various representatives groups. Certain Garda stations also held open days. The Garda is continuously working on ways to reach…

I will briefly outline the three ways in which we are helping to attract new members. We have expanded diversity teams within the Garda, meaning that we have dedicated gardaí to reach out to various communities. This creates a link or trust that might not have existed before. Building these relationships encourages people to see a career in the Garda where they might not have previously. There is a fantastic graduate programme, which focuses on school leavers and those in their transition or leaving certificate yea…

The justice allocation for 2024 of €3.5 billion is a real boost in helping us build stronger, safer communities. We are doing this across a range of areas, including supporting and strengthening An Garda Síochána, establishing community safety partnerships across the country and operating a zero-tolerance approach domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. We are also investing in our courts and prisons and increasing access to justice. I am allocating an unprecedented €2.31 billion to An Garda Síochána, an increa…