Results 12,061-12,080 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, that is correct.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let me check if I have those numbers. I have commented on that on a number of occasions, most recently when I launched the new penal policy reform report, which is a very impressive piece of work about the future. At the end of October 2014, 3,775 prisoners were in custody. It is an occupancy level of 92% of the Irish Prison Service capacity of 4,126.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a decrease of 7.7%. It is a decrease of 1,037, which is 7.7%.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a technical adjustment.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: They have to do 200 hours to get the allowance.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes. I have found that some do many more than that out of interest while some just do the minimum. Some join and keep their name on the books, and perhaps their enthusiasm wanes a little, while others are extremely interested and would like to do even more. Therefore, there is significant variation. There may be room to do a little more to get the very best from the Garda Reserve. The...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: We will examine that. I will send a note to the committee on the Garda Reserve.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The extra Garda Reserve personnel.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Generally speaking, it pertains to the running costs associated with members of the Garda Reserve.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I believe it is the same explanation as to why the Estimate is higher. It was just a question of more limited resources last year and the need to make up for it this year.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The budget allocation for the purchase and fitting out of new vehicles in 2014 was €4 million. In October 2014, a further €7 million was made available for the purchase and fitting out of vehicles. I have mentioned the number of vehicles that will be purchased on foot of this investment before the end of the year. They will be delivered by the end of this year and assigned to...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is 400.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a mixture. That is really an operational issue.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a mix of vehicles. The precise mix the Garda feels it requires at any time is an operational decision.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (26 Nov 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.