Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Budget 2021 seeks to shield our economy and society through one of the worst crises in living memory. The Government's priorities in guiding the State through the pandemic are protecting the lives of our people and ensuring our economy can weather this storm. The protection of our people is the core of the Department of Justice and Equality's work and the record €3 billion allocation for justice in this budget, an increase of €200 million, will help the Department, its agencies and others in the sector in that task. The justice sector has been on the front line throughout 2020, supporting our health colleagues in the battle against Covid-19. I am grateful to the women and men in front-line agencies such as An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, the Courts Service, the Office of the State Pathologist, Forensic Science Ireland and many others, as well as to the staff of my Department. As has been said many times, the difficulties caused by Covid have accelerated the need for us to change and reform our lives.

I am pleased that my first budget as Minister for Justice and Equality allows us to protect our people, including the most vulnerable, and at the same time modernise the justice sector. It also allows me to begin work on my priorities as Minister for Justice and Equality. These priorities are to strengthen and reform An Garda Síochána to ensure our communities are safe; to tackle sexual, domestic and gender-based violence, support victims and reform how vulnerable witnesses are treated as sexual offences are investigated and prosecuted; and to modernise the courts and immigration services, policing and other justice services to make them more efficient and easier to access.

We must continue to properly fund our front-line workers as they serve the public throughout Covid-19. We must keep them safe as they work to keep us safe. To this end, I have secured €13 million for personal protective equipment, PPE, for An Garda Síochána, €5.7 million for increased PPE, cleaning and healthcare costs for the Irish Prison Service, €5.7 million for the Courts Service, including for additional premises to enable socially distanced and safe court sittings, and €400,000 in additional funding for organisations responding to increased service demands from people impacted by domestic abuse during this period.

Modernisation, reform and investment in ICT are among my key priorities as Minister, driving the modernisation and digital agenda across the justice sector to ensure that our services are efficient and, most important, accessible. Building on previous investment, new funding of €42 million will lead to a significant payback of improved public services right across the sector. Additional ICT spending in key areas includes an extra €22 million for Garda ICT, bringing the total to €71.2 million in 2021. There is a separate specific provision of €7 million for additional mobile devices and related costs under the Garda mobility project. This unprecedented level of investment will enable continued investment in existing and new ICT systems which are critical to the implementation of the measures in the reform plan, A Policing Service for the Future. Some €8 million will be spent in the first year of the courts modernisation programme, almost €4 million of which is for ICT investment, with €5 million for the justice ICT strategy. This significant development will, among other things, enable me to reform the immigration area, where too many operations are still paper-based, and help speed up services to the public.

The total gross allocation for the Garda Vote in 2021 is a record €1.952 billion. In addition to the increased funding for Covid and ICT measures mentioned already, the allocation provides for recruitment of up to 620 new Garda recruits and 500 Garda staff. On that basis, there should be 14,700 gardaí, with a further 300 recruits in training in Templemore by December next year, a total of 15,000. This allocation also provides for an increase in supervisory ranks at sergeant and inspector level; maintaining the overtime budget of €95 million; €8 million for continued investment in the Garda fleet in addition to the highest ever investment of approximately €15 million in 2020; and €34 million for the capital building and refurbishment programme, including the project to relocate from Harcourt Square to a new purpose-built building on Military Road. Overall, more Garda recruits and Garda staff means extra members of the service on the front line and in specialist units battling organised crime groups and keeping people safe.

An increase of €56.1 million, or 13.4%, brings the Department of Justice and Equality Vote to €474 million. This will be used to improve access to justice, provide vital supports for those who need them and provide better service for our customers. With increased funding of over €2 million, bringing its total funding to €44.6 million, the Legal Aid Board will recruit additional staff and enhance delivery of its services across the country. Additional funding of €4.4 million in current expenditure and €10 million in capital funding will be provided to Forensic Science Ireland for 2021. This brings the capital budget to almost €51 million, supporting the construction of Forensic Science Ireland's new state-of-the-art laboratory in Backweston, County Kildare.

I am particularly pleased to have secured additional funding to support the important work of the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Inspector of Prisons and the Probation Service, among others. The Criminal Assets Bureau's budget has been increased to a record €9.96 million. I know it is busier than ever and I am glad to have been able to provide it with additional funding to further increase its staffing levels.

The prisons Vote will have a current expenditure budget of €358.5 million in 2021 and a capital budget of €36 million, mainly to complete the redevelopment of Limerick Prison.

This represents an increase of €15 million in the capital allocation for 2021, providing for the complete modernisation of Limerick Prison, as well as eliminating the practice of slopping out.

The gross allocation of €158.8 million for the Courts Vote includes €8 million for the courts modernisation programme, which I mentioned. The Courts Service has already shown very impressive innovation and adaptability from the start of the pandemic and in maintaining vital front-line services for those who need them, particularly the most vulnerable victims of domestic violence. This will enable the service to further advance the digital agenda to the benefit of the wider justice sector.

I recognise the Data Protection Commission's increased responsibilities as the lead supervisory authority to the various multinational organisations that have their European headquarters in the State and I am pleased to announce an increased allocation of €2 million for additional staff resources. Following increases totalling €15.3 million over the past six years, this brings the allocation for the commission to over €19 million in 2021.

I am prioritising the addressing of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, which is a scourge on our society. Organisations providing support for victims have, unfortunately, seen demand for their services increase during the pandemic. This budget will allow the Government to continue the funding provided for such organisations during Covid-19 and increase our support. The extra support will provide more remote counselling services and help keep helplines open, as well as providing welfare packs and other practical supports for those who are most vulnerable.

Next week, I will outline how I intend to reform how vulnerable witnesses are treated as sexual offences are investigated and prosecuted. This plan follows the work done by Mr. Tom O'Malley in reviewing protections for such witnesses. I am glad €2.7 million has been allocated in budget 2021 for this work and to support groups doing invaluable work in the area of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Finally, I thank my colleagues, the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath, for their support in the budget. Budget 2021 will both protect our country and set a course for how we can emerge from this crisis stronger and with an acknowledgement of how we can change for the better.

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