Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

It is starting to feel a little like Groundhog Day, as Deputy Dara Calleary, Deputy Jonathan O'Brien and I addressed this issue earlier this morning when we discussed the Supplementary Estimates.

Arrangements have been made for the provision of additional funding for the Garda Vote in 2011 by way of the Supplementary Estimate which we dealt with earlier. One of the main reasons for the Supplementary Estimate is to provide for an overrun on expenditure that has arisen in connection with the policing of the State visits of Queen Elizabeth II and President Obama. This situation has arisen because the visits had not been planned by the time the Garda Estimates for 2011 were finalised and the Supplementary Estimate will resolve the funding issue.

At this stage the Supplementary Estimate has been considered by the Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality and I look forward to its early adoption. Additionally, in the lead up to the Supplementary Estimate I have engaged very actively with my Government colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, regarding the costs of the State visits. This has been an ongoing process and I am very pleased that it has been brought to a successful conclusion and that the funding required has been made available.

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