Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have several questions. I raised here with the Garda Commissioner the fact that, some weeks ago, An Garda destroyed a range of ammunition and guns. This cost €160,000. It was the famous range of guns and ammunition whose storage in Garda headquarters I am sure the Minister is aware I have referred to many times. The Minister might take a look at the picture I have to hand in this regard. The taxpayer had to pay the €160,000 but the ammunition could have damaged gardaí or caused harm to them. Will somebody explain to me why we wrote off €160,000 concerning ammunition whose destruction should have been paid for by Fiocchi Munizioni, which I think is Italian and whose agent here is Daniel Technologies. The Minister might find out why we wrote off €160,000 of taxpayers' money for equipment which in any other walk of life would be given back if faulty, resulting in one getting one's money back. Why did a sergeant give a letter of comfort to the company and its agent?

Last week in the Dáil, I raised the issue of the report on asbestos in Garda stations. The Minister has had a week to read it. He would not be aware of it only I raised it. I note he is smiling. The report is very serious and I am sure he is well aware of it now. I am sure his officials have found it for him. He stated the Revised Estimates Volume refers to €62 million in capital for stations, etc. What is being done about affected stations, particularly the 12 identified regarding which Mr. Kirwan, a deputy director of the State Claims Agency, warned that unless the remedial work was undertaken, the agency would be unable to defend future claims?

This was back in 2016, which was nine years ago. What is being done as regards the capital plan and funding for those stations? We already had a fairly significant issue in Santry, as I am sure the Minister is aware.

Repeatedly, the Minister and, recently, the Tánaiste, have said a second Garda recruitment location will be needed. I have argued against this because we have land in Clonmore, County Tipperary, which has never been used even though it was purchased for the expansion of the Garda College. Is there any provision within these Revised Estimates for research or work towards providing another location for garda training and is the Minister still committed to it, as the Tánaiste said he was last week? That response would be interesting.

We had the Garda Representative Association, GRA, in front of us last week. It raised the issue of allowances, particularly the subsistence allowance, which has not moved in the guts of a decade, I believe. The GRA is saying that, if this issue is not dealt with, there will be some form of protest - I am being diplomatic - during Ireland's EU Presidency. Is there a provision within the Garda budget to deal with these genuine issues relating to allowances? I accept some other allowances have been upgraded, such as the training allowance, although it is still not enough. Is this issue going to be dealt with? Are we going to have the embarrassing situation where An Garda Síochána is effectively doing a blue flu during our six-month EU Presidency?

I want to ask the Minister about the assessment of CBRN, which for people watching refers to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials. What provision is there within An Garda Síochána to ensure that, in modern world and given everything that is going on, we have enough resources put into this? As far as I know, upskilling the personnel to the accreditation required has not happened and is out of date by the guts of a decade. I also understand that there are issues around breathing masks and protective suits being out of date. The actual equipment the Garda has is simply not meeting requirements.

I was not invited to the last passing-out ceremony in Templemore even though I am the local TD. It was the first time I was not invited. I do not know why that is. Maybe I have become an issue for people. We keep getting quoted this figure of 6,700 people having applied to join An Garda Síochána. I would appreciate it if the Minister broke down how many actually qualified and all the way down to where there were 200 called into Templemore but only 120 actually graduated. As we now know, 62% of those gardaí went to Dublin in a very discriminatory way. Despite many retirements, one went to Tipperary. One went to Kerry. I am sure the Minister's colleagues in government will be talking to him about that. How much is it costing us to train people who are never going to become gardaí? How many are there and if we breakdown the 6,700, how many will realistically make it through that process?