Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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220. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the budget allocation to the Garda witness protection programme for 2015 to 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52950/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Estimates provision for the Witness Security Programme for 2018 is €1.198 million. The budget allocation for the Programme in 2017 was €1.198 million; the final expenditure figure for 2017 is not yet available. Expenditure on the programme in 2016 was €1.32 million and in 2015 was €1.198 million.

The Witness Security Programme is operated by the Garda Authorities. While legislation was not required for its establishment or operation, it is supported by provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 1999, as amended. The operation of the Programme and the resources required for it are kept under continuous and active review by the Garda Authorities.

The Deputy will appreciate that by virtue of the highly confidential nature of the Witness Security Programme and the need to maintain the protection of persons who receive support from it, it is not the practice to detail the specifics of its operation.