Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My thanks to Deputy Richmond for his response. I will write to the Minister for Justice and engage with her in respect of this issue. It has always been the case that the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform resist any efforts to ring-fence proceeds for any particular purpose. They like that to be part of the Estimates process. That has already been the case but that does not mean it necessarily has to pertain indefinitely I future. The idea from the Deputy is a good one in principle. It is a question of how it can be made to work in practice. That is what we need to examine in further detail. I will commit to doing that.

I wish to point out that the justice sector and justice Vote has done well in the context of the Estimates and 2021 with extra funding of almost €200 million going to a range of initiatives. The extra funding is for not only extra gardaí but the Garda youth diversion programmes as well. Extra funding will be available for a significant number of organisations that provide supports in the area correctly identified by Deputy Richmond as one where there is a need.

I acknowledge the work of the Deputy on this issue. I will engage with the Minister for Justice. Perhaps we can take the issue up off-line again.

See this speech in context