James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the 2022 budget and the significant commitment of an additional €145 million to the justice sector. This will help protect our communities, support those victims who suffer as a result of crime and help to direct our young people away from a life of crime. In particular, I acknowledge the funding for an additional 800 gardaí and 400 civilians for An Garda Síochána. Next year marks 100 years since the foundation of An Garda Síochána, a force that has provided an unbelievable service to our communities, security for our country and 89 of whose members made the ultimate sacrifice. I particularly remember today garda Seamus Quaid, who was murdered by the IRA on this day in 1980. He was a Limerick man who was killed in the line of duty in the county of Wexford. He also won an all-Ireland for Wexford and was a huge servant to our community.

The youth justice sector has been provided with an additional €6.7 million. This 46% increase in year-on-year funding for the youth justice sector will help prevent young people from going into a life of crime and will provide early intervention and diversion for them into more positive behaviour. It will allow our youth justice service to provide national coverage, targeting intervention towards those who are getting caught up in consistent crime, and will provide support and additional services to those families who are struggling with their children getting involved in crime. I note that not one penny was provided in the Sinn Féin alternative budget for the youth justice sector.

Additional funding was provided for immigration to increase the level of staffing and to implement the Catherine Day report. From the Department of Justice's perspective, we have been carrying out an end-to-end review within the Department to help bring about the end of direct provision, to provide additional supports to get the services as quickly as possible and to bring about a scheme for the undocumented. Again, I note there is not one penny in the alternative Sinn Féin budget for immigration.

I also acknowledge an additional €500,000 has been provided to deliver a gambling regulator. We have been hearing about the need for a gambling regulator for well over 20 years. We will deliver this over the next six months with total funding of €700,000. Again, there is not one penny in the alternative Sinn Féin budget to provide for a gambling regulator to help tackle the scourge of gambling.

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