Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware that section 30 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for An Garda Síochána to charge for policing services provided for events on private property or in areas open to the public.  The section covers events such as sports fixtures, concerts, festivals, the making of films, TV programmes and so on. Policing services may be provided where it is in the public interest and consistent with Garda functions. 

Setting the level of fees applicable to the provision of services under section 30 of the Act by An Garda Síochána and related matters are for the Garda Commissioner, as the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that policing services in these cases may include both a public service duty and a non-public service duty element.  In general, An Garda Síochána seeks to recover the costs associated with provision of non-public service duties at commercial events.  I am further informed that the cost to the event holder is determined by the number of Gardaí deployed and the hours they are deployed for. An Garda Síochána issues invoices to all relevant event holders.

I am further informed that it is not always possible to define the demarcation line between public and non-public duty and it is not always feasible for An Garda Síochána to recover the total policing cost of any particular event as the over-riding concern of An Garda Síochána is public safety.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table sets out the payments for non-public service duties received by An Garda Síochána this year from the GAA, FAI and IRFU up to 12 December 2019.