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

Under the national development plan, the Government will invest over €282 million in capital projects in 2022, including provision for PPP funding. The Government has prioritised a package of funding which will facilitate sustained investment to support an efficient and effective justice system providing important Government services and activities across the sector, including in forensic science, policing, prisons and the courts. As the Deputy may be aware, the capital allocation for the justice Vote group encompasses An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service, prisons and the justice Votes.

The funding allocated under a PPP line item in 2022 relates specifically to the courts Vote. I am informed that the allocation of €38.74 million relates to the annual repayments for the courts building projects delivered under the public private partnership mechanism, encompassing the criminal courts complex in Parkgate Street, Dublin 8 and seven regional courthouse developments completed in 2017 and 2018. The regional courthouses are located in Wexford, Mullingar, Waterford, Limerick, Cork, Letterkenny and Drogheda. As the Deputy may wish to note, three large infrastructural projects are due for completion this year: a new laboratory for Forensic Science Ireland at Backweston, County Kildare; the redevelopment of Limerick Prison; and a large capital development for An Garda Síochána at Military Road, Dublin 8, to replace the Harcourt Square facilities.

Separately, the Department is progressing a further justice PPP project to provide a new family law court in Hammond Lane, Dublin 7, and two new Garda stations in Clonmel, County Tipperary and Macroom, County Cork. I am pleased that my Department, as the approving authority, has recently been in a position to provide approval in principle to the Courts Service and An Garda Síochána to proceed with these projects under the PPP mechanism. This is based on comprehensive business cases being submitted. This work is being advanced in conjunction with the National Development Finance Agency and will be completed in as timely a manner as possible.

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