Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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131. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount spent on gardaí at an event (details supplied). [15613/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, there has been an unprecedented level of investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years. The budgetary allocation to An Garda Síochána for 2019 amounts to €1.76 billion.

In accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána and for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of his identified operational demands.  As such, decisions in relation to the effective and efficient use of resources are also a matter for the Commissioner. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I understand that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, so as to ensure their optimum use.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the costs incurred by An Garda Síochána for policing at the September 2018 event referred to by the Deputy amounted to approximately €7,610 (rounded). Of this total, I am advised that €6,080 was spent on overtime and approximately €1,530 was spent on Travel & Subsistence.