Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome what the Minister has said on the last point. The prudent decision to include a figure for this year in the context of the current examination of the Magdalen laundries issue is also a positive step. As the Minister said in his opening remarks, letters have been issued or are about to be issued. I think that is the right thing to do, even if most of the payments will be made in 2014. I do not know whether the Minister wishes to say anything else on that.

It is not unusual to have Supplementary Estimates. The first time we dealt with a Supplementary Estimate while I was a member of this committee, following the change of Government, we were asked to approve a huge figure. The Minister said at the time that he did not like introducing Supplementary Estimates because it was not a desirable way to do business. They will always be needed, particularly in the case of the justice Votes, under which there are a number of demand-led services. It is not an exact science. While Supplementary Estimates might not be desirable, I think it is inevitable that this committee will always have to consider them.

There are positive elements to Supplementary Estimates as well. A number of savings have been made. We saved a considerable amount of money in respect of once-off events relating to the Presidency of the Council of the European Union - for example, in Garda operations. I appreciate that some of this money was allocated to the policing of the G8 summit. The opportunity existed to do so. The Minister spoke about transferring some money from the capital budget for the provision of additional vehicles. I have always called for this on behalf of my party. I will not criticise an initiative such as that. We have always said we wanted to see an adequate level of resourcing for An Garda Síochána. Given that we have called for additional resources, it would be hypocritical of us to come in here and criticise the Minister for introducing a Supplementary Estimate which does exactly that. This is probably not the ideal way to deal with these matters, however. It would be better if we could deal with them at budget time. As I have said, it is probable that this committee will always face such a scenario in the context of this Vote.

I welcome the recruitment campaign that is about to be undertaken.

Sinn Féin has consistently called on the Government to maintain, if not increase, the number of gardaí on the beat. The sight of gardaí instils public confidence in the force, which is vital.

Many recent media reports have focused on the level of funding and resources available to the Garda Síochána. Such a high level of media coverage has naturally resulted in a perception, which may not be based on reality, permeating into the public domain that the Garda is not sufficiently resourced to perform its duties on behalf of the public. One area that received considerable attention in Cork, my home city, was the provision of funding for drug units. While I accept that the allocation of funding is an operational matter for the Garda Síochána, many operational decisions are based on budgetary provisions.

Perhaps the Minister will comment on a series of reports published in the Irish Examiner on the increase in drugs, especially heroin, in Cork and its environs. As someone who represents the city, I assure the Minister that the drug problem is growing and is fast becoming an epidemic. Unfortunately, an increasing number of young people are becoming hooked on heroin, a vile drug, and many have lost their lives. Since 2008, when an increase in the availability of heroin was first noted in the city, the Garda has always been vigilant and proactive in working with other State agencies to try to stem the rise in heroin abuse. However, we are reaching a tipping point, particularly as funding for drug task forces and community groups that deal with the scourge of heroin is being reduced. I am not sure whether the Minister will comment on that aspect of Garda budgets and resources given that it is an operational issue for the Garda.

I welcome the additional allocation of €5 million for the Magdalen laundries redress process.

On Cork Prison, the Minister stated some payments anticipated this year will carry over into next year. While I understand he is not permitted to comment in this setting, perhaps he could provide a quick update on the capital project at Cork Prison in the context of the budgetary process.