Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Ó Laoghaire raised the very important issue of Garda overtime. Deputies will be aware that the management and allocation of the Garda overtime budget is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. It is an important issue and one which is always the subject of debate in the Oireachtas, and perhaps rightly so. There will always be a need for a certain level of overtime. The €95 million which is available this year is by any standard a most significant sum. It would not be fair, nor would it reflect the facts on the ground, if Garda overtime was taken in isolation. It must be seen in the context of other resources available to An Garda Síochána which is why the importance of the recruitment campaign has a direct bearing on overtime. The more Garda numbers we have the less reliant the service will be on overtime. The sum of just under €100 million is an appropriate sum. To bolster my point, I am told that the overall spend on overtime until the end of March, a couple of weeks ago, was €21.8 million, which is on target.

That accords with the overtime profile as established by the Garda Commissioner. With new Garda numbers and with the existing overtime we will manage to have a police service with a greatly enhanced number of policing hours throughout the State. The ongoing programme of civilianisation must also be borne in mind. This leads me to the other questions. We are on target for 2021 to have 15,000 sworn members of An Garda Síochána and 4,000 civilian staff. I am very keen that the State supports the Garda Commissioner in this, especially in the civilianisation programme, notwithstanding the challenges this will pose for An Garda Síochána.

I am aware this committee recently produced a very fine report on rural crime and, as a public representative, I believe that availability and visibility are key with regard to An Garda Síochána. The civilianisation programme will allow for the release of more gardaí to do what they are best trained to do, which is to protect communities from harm by way of additional numbers of gardaí on the streets. We are on target for 2021 to do this.

An additional €2 million has been provided for the youth diversion programme under the Dormant Accounts Fund. This will involve additional and new investment. I do not have details on the locations of these programmes in front of me but I am happy to provide details to the Deputy. Deputy Ó Laoghaire will be aware of the importance of the youth diversion programmes around the State. It is my intention that the €2 million would allow for new and enhanced programmes.

I am aware that this committee is very keen to see progress on the issue of broadband in Garda stations. There are 565 Garda stations in the State. I have spoken with my Cabinet colleague with responsibility for broadband, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton. I accept there are variations and fluctuations in the number of sites connected to the Garda network but it is important that we engage in projects to enhance access, especially in rural Garda stations. There is a project in this regard. Increased resources for the Garda fleet allows for mobile IT systems to be contained in Garda cars. Often this is the only means by which there is ICT network connection. This is also important in the context of rural Ireland. Any member of An Garda Síochána currently attached to an unconnected Garda station can nevertheless access to the PULSE system at the local district station. This is important in ensuring there is an element of connectivity. I accept, however, that there is a challenge. It is being worked on.

On the issue of struggling Garda stations, as highlighted by Deputy Ó Laoghaire, of course An Garda Síochána - at Commissioner and management level - review the profile of Garda stations in the context of a changing social profile of an area, with particular reference to areas of recent growth by way of house building, and also in areas where there are seasonal variations. In Kinsale, for example, which is in close proximity to, if not in, the Deputy's constituency, during the summer months one will see increased Garda deployment, as with other resort-type areas. The profiling of a Garda station with numbers and senior figures within Garda stations is kept under review in the context of policing needs in each area.