Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----it is at approximately 18,000 as we speak. The budget was increased by €500 million last year. That is a 27% increase in the Garda budget since 2020. On another day, Deputy Tóibín will come in speaking about value for money, wasteful Government expenditure and all of that. No one can question the fact that very substantial resources have been allocated, far above what would normally be the annual increase in Government expenditure. We need to be conscious of that as well, particularly as we enter potentially more economically turbulent times. The Garda budget this year is €2.48 billion, which is a huge sum. We have increased the Garda training allowance to €354 per week. The age of entry has increased from 35 to 50. The mandatory retirement age has gone to 62. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, has continued his substantial discussions with the Commissioner about how we can further improve recruitment. The current capacity in Templemore is approximately 800 a year. The target is 5,000 over the next five years. We will have to increase training capacity to achieve that target and we are committed to doing that.

A new group was established to achieve that and to make sure we can reach those figures. It has been formed and is finalising its report, which is expected in mid-2025, which will recommend a series of actions to take to enable us to get the increase of 5,000 that we require. All effort is being made to increase recruitment.

Regarding deployment, the Deputy may be aware of the report today on public order policing. There is a substantial increase and expansion of capacity in that area, which is to be welcomed. There is much better resourcing of An Garda Síochána in that sphere over the past year or so. I am hopeful and have a better, more positive disposition than the Deputy has, obviously, about the future of An Garda Síochána and our capacity as a State to provide resources.

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