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

My overall ambition in this year’s budget was to ensure we could support An Garda Síochána in whatever way possible. This is not just by increasing their numbers, but by supporting those who are already active and doing great work on the ground. That is why we have allocated €2.3 billion, which is the largest figure ever for An Garda Síochána. It represents an increase of €172 million overall. That money is going towards making sure that when it comes to recruitment, money is not an issue. We will recruit between 800 and 1,000. I again acknowledge that we will likely have four classes next year instead of five. This is just because of the way the timings work out. However, I do not want funding to be any sort of a problem in recruitment.

Regarding the numbers this year, when adding the various different classes that have gone through Templemore, those who are currently in Templemore, those who will start this week and those who will start at the end of December, there will be close to 800, if not beyond 800 members. While that is not the target of 1,000, it is certainly very close. We are building on that and gathering momentum. We will also have a recruitment campaign to make sure that a steady stream will come through the college at all times. As well as this, we are supporting an increase in civilian staff who will free up front-line Garda members. We are also making sure that for the first time in six years we will have a competition for the Garda Reserve, which will support the work of the gardaí on the ground.

It is really important that we keep this momentum going and that we support gardaí while they are training. That is why we have increased the training allowance for the first time in more than a decade. Members who are in the Garda College currently receive €184 per week, but they will now be getting €305 per week. That applies to anyone who is in the college from yesterday. Therefore, even though a class is finishing up this week, its members will receive that rate for the recent days from the budget. All the other classes that have come in from the last two intakes, as well as the remaining two this year, will see that increase. That is coupled with the funding they are given when they are out on duty-----

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