Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The first is the Garda Vote. I will give an overview and if members want to ask me questions, they may do so. We will go through the other Votes also.

I am very pleased to say the gross allocation for the Garda Síochána Vote – Vote 20 – is €2.48 billion, which includes a very substantial capital allocation of €173 million. This funding allows for increasing recruitment and provides the equipment, technology, facilities and fleet the Garda requires to keep communities safe.

The 2025 capital allocation of €173 million includes €99 million for Garda ICT. This will continue to reform and enhance the Garda ICT systems, which require continual capital investment to ensure gardaí have the best equipment. The Chair will be aware of the benefit of having body-worn cameras. We have rolled these out in Limerick and Waterford and in certain stations in Dublin. They are a very effective tool for An Garda. I am informed by the Garda that knowing you could be recorded when you approach a garda changes your behaviour. We want to ensure the Garda has the most sophisticated systems for crime investigation to respond to specialist types of crime, and that will require upgrading platforms and infrastructure further. Members will be aware that gardaí will be given greater facilities and abilities through the garda mobility devices. These will be very useful in allowing them to have instant access to information.

Also included in the allocation is €62 million for the capital building and refurbishment programme. This will fund continued investment in upgrading and modernising the Garda estate. With an estate of over 700 buildings, significant works are required constantly. We are also delivering a range of new stations and headquarters buildings. As members will be aware, the large projects include those in Portlaoise and Macroom, which are divisional headquarters. As the Chair will be well aware, there will be a new station in Bailieborough, County Cavan, and new stations at Newcastle West, County Limerick, and Clonmel, County Tipperary. These projects have to be funded but they will result in important new stations for An Garda. There will also be constant upgrading of facilities.

There will be €10 million for transport, which includes the purchase of vehicles, including roads policing vehicles, marked and unmarked cars, public order vehicles, and community safety vans, which are important. We are also focusing on fleet electrification.

A total of €8 million is being provided towards new Garda aircraft this year. This is funding carried over from 2024. In 2023, contracts were signed for the delivery of two aircraft – one fixed-wing aircraft and one helicopter. The plane and helicopter are due for delivery in September of this year and will become fully operational during 2026. A second helicopter was ordered in 2024. As sum of €39.4 million has been spent to date on these aircraft, with some of the balance due later this year and in 2026. It is important for a strong police force to have these assets, particularly when trying to combat espionage, terrorism, border issues, organised crime gangs and human trafficking.

In the region of 88% of Garda current expenditure is on pay and pensions. I am pleased that the funding for 2025 provides for further recruitment, that is, recruitment of between 800 and 1,000 new gardaí and 150 additional Garda staff, as well as more Garda reserves for the first time in years. This year, 370 new Garda recruits have already started training in Templemore, with two more intakes still to come. The trainee allowance is now €354 per week, almost double that in 2023. The maximum age of recruitment has increased from 35 to 50. These are challenging times for every employer seeking to recruit but these changes are having an impact on the effort to attract people. In fact, the recent recruitment campaign attracted 6,700 expressions of interest. We have to try to convert these into members on the ground.

An overtime budget of €150 million has been provided for 2025. This includes ongoing support for high-visibility policing to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, and the investigation of serious and organised crime.

Road safety is a shared responsibility and one the Government takes very seriously. As members know, there are too many tragic deaths on our roads. Road traffic legislation is enforced by the roads policing units of An Garda. A sum of €9 million in additional funding for road safety cameras was provided and this includes continuing the increased level of 9,000 hours per month for GoSafe speed cameras, and for the installation of static speed cameras.

I acknowledge, as the Cathaoirleach and I have done previously in the Houses of the Oireachtas, the very tragic death of Garda Kevin Flatley, a member of the Garda traffic unit. He gave his life in the line of duty. It is important to reflect on that again because it emphasises the danger within An Garda Síochána, particularly for those working in the traffic corps. It is vital that gardaí be supported and that the Government be committed to continuing to ensure An Garda Síochána has the appropriate resources.

That is what I wanted to say in respect of the Garda Vote.