Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 10 April 2019
Select Committee on Justice and Equality
Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Further Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Further Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Further Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Further Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Further Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Further Revised)
Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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On the query about the civilian staff in An Garda Síochána, redeployment to date is in the order of 260. This year it is the intention of the Garda Commissioner to redeploy a further 500. The Commissioner is confident this will take place in the course of the calendar year.
Recruitment of expertise is ongoing, especially in the area of ICT specialists, financial accounting experts and human resources in order to ensure the transformation programme and the various modernisation schemes are on target.
Deputy Chambers also asked about costs. It is estimated that reopening of the Stepaside Garda station will cost €1 million. This is part of a bundle of six stations to be reopened, one of which is already opened in Donard in Wicklow. Other stations on target for reopening this year are Ballinspittle in Cork and Bawnboy in the Chairman's constituency of Cavan.
Refurbishments are on target to be completed this year and the stations reopened.
Regarding hand-held technology, a further €1.5 million for this purpose will see the expansion of the project in Limerick in respect of automatic number plate recognition devices. That is working satisfactorily. Moving to the matter of armed support units, again the deployment of particular units is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. The Deputy is correct, however, that there is a particular challenge in the inner-city area and there is increased activity by a number of units, including the armed support units. I will highlight the importance of the Fitzgibbon Street Garda station capital project in that area, which is on target with redevelopment and refurbishment. Turning to the witness protection programme, the periodic draw-down of funding is at the discretion of An Garda Síochána. There was a relatively low spend in 2018, less than €200,000. In 2017, however, spending in the area was more than €500,000. We monitor that but it is at the discretion of An Garda Síochána to draw-down funding from time to time.