Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In Vote 41, a gross Estimate of €3.9 million has been provided for the Policing Authority Vote. A gross estimate of €23.3 million is being made available to the Data Protection Commission, which is Vote 44. This allocation includes an increase of €4.1 million or 21.5% compared with the previous year. The Data Protection Commission budget has increased significantly in recent years, as the responsibilities and functions of the office have expanded also, as the lead supervisory authority to the various multinational organisations which have their European headquarters within the State. The largest aspect of the budget relates to staffing costs of almost €16 million, with legal expenses accounting for approximately another €2 million of the budget.