Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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179. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the funding provided to the National Protective Services Bureau within An Garda Síochána; the number of staff currently assigned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49941/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of the Garda organisation under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This includes decisions on the deployment of members of An Garda Síochána throughout the State. Furthermore, under the Section 43(1) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer of An Garda Síochána and is responsible the administration of the Garda budget. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use. I am further advised that it is a matter for the Divisional Chief Superintendent to determine the optimum distribution of duties among the personnel available to him or her, having regard to the profile of each area within the Division and its specific needs.

Government investment into An Garda Síochána has reached unprecedented levels with Budget 2022 providing for €2.062 billion, with an extra €1 million provided to improve An Garda Síochána’s Divisional Protective Services Units. As the Deputy may be aware, each Garda Division now also has a dedicated Divisional Protective Services Unit (DPSU) in place. DPSUs provide a best practice service in relation to all domestic abuse incidents and interventions and are responsible for the quality and conduct of their investigations, including the regular updating of victims.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below shows the total expenditure for the National Protective Services Bureau in 2020, and as of 30 September 2021.

The Garda authorities advise that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána in the National Protective Services Bureau as of 30 September 2021 is outlined in the table below:

Protective Services Bureau 30/09/2021

The Garda authorities advise that the number of Garda Staff attached to the National Protective Services Bureau as of 8 October 2021 is outlined in the table below:

Protective Services Bureau 30/09/2021

*Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) numbers are provided to indicate that Garda staff work on a number of different work-sharing patterns of varying hours. The WTE number reflects the number of whole time staff required to work the number of hours provided by the staff actually employed.