Dáil debates

Thursday, 23 June 2011

5:00 pm

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a cost for gardai used during the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of England. [16780/11]

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a cost for gardai used during the visit of President Obama. [16781/11]

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 7 and 17 together.

The visits of Queen Elizabeth and President Obama required unprecedented security arrangements to be put in place by An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces to ensure the safety of our visitors and the maintenance of public order.

All Garda leave and rest days were cancelled for this period, and members on duty were required to work longer than normal shifts. Movement of several thousand Garda members over several days had to be arranged, involving hiring transport and the provision of accommodation. Catering had to be provided at the various venues. A range of security-related equipment also had to be purchased or hired.

The Garda Commissioner, who is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote, is currently finalising processing of payments of the costs incurred. This has taken time, as, for example, individual claims for overtime must be verified before being approved for payment. While I cannot give a final figure, I would estimate, on the basis of the information available, that the total Garda cost arising from the visits will exceed €20 million.

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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We all congratulate An Garda Síochána for the manner in which the gardaí policed both operations. I appreciate the Minister's difficulties. We are now five weeks down the road and the gardaí have been paid their overtime allowances with their regular salaries. I just wish to get the final costs and draw a line under the matter so that in future a plan is put in place for large security operations, for budgetary reasons, so we can have a figure available quicker than six weeks after the event. The cost is high and we would rather it was not necessary, but it was and the gardaí played an exemplary role, but it takes far too long to get the final figures for costs for operations of this nature.

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Calleary for his comments; we have made similar comments in the past so it is appropriate to again acknowledge the extraordinary job the gardaí did in circumstances of some difficulty, where a small minority who were intent on trouble had to be dealt with and that was done in a most efficient and appropriate manner, ensuring neither visit was disrupted or spoiled in the manner some intended.

Some of the final accounting issues will be resolved by the end of the month and we will have the full figures early in July. It is important that the Garda Commissioner, who is the Accounting Officer, has the time to collate all of the relevant information. It is regrettable that this amount had to be spent. The visits were successful and of great importance internationally. They have done the country a great deal of good; events relating to the Queen were projected around the world and secured huge media coverage in many places. I would prefer if the money had been available for other purposes and that the small group of people who sought to cause disruption and difficulty had not done so. If they had not done so, the funds would have been available for other purposes.

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Given the amount involved, will it require an additional Estimate? The Minister said previously an amount had been budgeted for the visits but was this much envisaged? Is the €20 million specifically related to Garda activity?

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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That figure relates to Garda overtime and acquiring additional material necessary to facilitate the visit. The gardaí must have available to them the funding in the original Estimate in December to maintain operability and do the important work they do in a broad range of areas, including crime prevention and detection. This funding will be provided for in a manner that does not inhibit the capacity of An Garda Síochána to carry out fully its duties up to the end of the year.