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

I agree with the Deputy that we need to protect the gardaí and to ensure that when they go about their business and actively put themselves in harm's way to protect us, they need to be supported. We can do that in many ways. We can ensure that they have the stations and the areas to work in appropriately, that they have the technology and equipment that they need, that they have the cars and the appropriate training, which the unions have raised with me on quite a few occasions, and in respect of the capital budget which I will be finalising, hopefully, in the coming weeks with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. This will be a new capital plan which will set out for the next number of years what that expenditure looks like, not just in the physical infrastructure but the ICT also.

There are a number of ways in which we can support members of the Garda to do their job. Supporting the Garda and encouraging more people to apply is reflected in the fact that more than 11,000 people applied in the most recent competition. This was completely fantastic and it will allow us to have that rolling in of 200 people coming out of Templemore every 11 weeks.

What is also great is that about 40% of the applicants are women. The role is becoming more attractive to women even though it is a challenging one.

One also has a much more diverse application profile so that people need to see themselves in the gardaí who support and keep their communities safe. The fact that we have much more diversity and many more different backgrounds of people who were not born in Ireland who are now applying, is very welcome. That visibility, in itself, encourages people, particularly younger people, to engage with the Garda when they see themselves in the gardaí who serve them.

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