Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

The 2020 appropriation account for Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána recorded gross expenditure of €1.93 billion. This was an increase of almost €134 million, or 7%, on the prior year. Almost two thirds of the expenditure was related to payments of salaries, wages and allowances, which totalled €1.23 billion in 2020. A further €354 million was spent on pension and gratuity payments to retired gardaí. These two areas account for over 80% of voted expenditure in 2020.

Most of the larger Votes are presented in terms of expenditure in relation to key functions or service areas. In contrast, Vote 20 is presented mainly in terms of expenditure by resource type or input classifications. These include standard administration input costs, as well as costs associated with construction and maintenance of buildings, vehicle purchase and operation, and IT and communication systems. As a result of this budgeting and accounting approach, the account does not disclose the cost of individual Garda outputs and deliverables, such as community policing, traffic policing, white-collar crime investigation or other specialist functions.

At the end of 2020, approximately 17,800 whole-time equivalent staff were employed with An Garda Síochána. Of these, just over 14,500 were attested gardaí or trainees, and 3,100 were civilian employees in a variety of roles.

The amount of the budget provided for 2020 that remained unspent at the end of the year was €16.3 million. Of this, €12.7 million in unspent capital funding was carried over to 2021. The remaining €3.6 million was liable for surrender.

I issued a clear audit opinion in relation to the appropriation account. However, I drew attention to the disclosure in the statement on internal financial control of non-compliant procurement by An Garda Síochána of €8.8 million worth of goods and services in 2020. The statement on internal control also discloses significant financial and other risks faced by An Garda Síochána, as well as the steps taken to address those risks.