Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister answers the questions put to him. I ask the Deputy to check with the Office of the Ceann Comhairle after this session. My understanding is the specific question referred to by the Deputy was disallowed. The question that was allowed is the one on the Order Paper, notice of which would have been given to the Deputy in recent days. The Garda Commissioner and his team across An Garda Síochána will continue to give priority to communities in County Kerry and other parts of the country. From my perspective, I am keen to ensure the Garda Commissioner and his team are sufficiently resourced. That is why a total budget of €1.76 billion has been provided for An Garda Síochána for this year, which represents an increase of 6% on the initial allocation for 2018. Specifically, I refer the Deputy to Operation Thor which is providing a swift return for the Government on the investment made. It includes an overtime budget of almost €100 million, as announced in budget 2018.

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