Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources they need to deliver on their mission of Keeping People Safe. This is reflected in the record budgetary allowance of €2.3 billion in 2024. As part of Budget 2024's unprecedented allocation, €155 million has been allocated for digital capital investment and IT.

An Garda Síochána's Digital Strategy for the period 2019 – 2023, reflecting the recommendations in the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, ensures that information and communications technology will continue to support and transform An Garda Síochána’s capabilities.

Garda ACTIVE Mobility apps allow members to access their email on the move, check a vehicle’s history and tax status, and enables them to work more efficiently with local business and community groups. All Garda members now have mobile devices with real-time access to apps eliminating paperwork and allowing Gardaí to carry out their frontline duties far more efficiently.

The organisation’s new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System, GardaSAFE, is now operational across all regions. The modern policing tools within this system allow call takers and dispatchers to deliver enhanced support to responders, supporting them in their mission to keep the public safe. As well as the significant new technology support in the regional control rooms there are now over 4,000 users of the CAD mobile app which provides frontline members with key incident, intelligence and warning details as well as turn-by-turn directions to the scene.

I am informed by Garda authorities that the introduction of an online portal for uploading and reporting of digital evidence such as video of road traffic offences will be delivered as part of a planned Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS).

I am advised that the mechanism for An Garda Síochána to accept video footage from the public will be via an online Portal. I am informed that once the footage is uploaded, a DEMS will be required to store, manage and process any footage received.

The project to introduce body worn camera technology and a DEMS to An Garda Síochána is underway. A limited Proof of Concept deployment of body worn cameras in a small number of areas is planned for early 2024. This Proof of Concept will provide learnings for the next stage of the project, which is the national procurement and rollout of body worn cameras, including the introduction of a DEMS.

I am further advised that there are currently two helicopters attached to the Garda Air Support Unit, a Eurocopter EC 135 T2 and a EC135 T2+ which were delivered in 2001 and 2007 respectively. The Government has approved the purchase of a fixed wing plane and a helicopter to replace these aircraft and these are expected to be delivered in quarter 1 of 2025.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024 demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring An Garda Síochána has provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out vital policing work.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that as of the 31 December 2023, the latest date for when figures are available, there was a total of 13,998 Garda members. This represents an increase of over 3% since the end of December 2017. In addition, the civilianisation programme has freed up almost 900 Garda members from back office work for front line policing work since 2015.

The table below, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of Garda members at the end of December 2017 up to the end of December 2023. Please note that this information is operational and may be subject to change.

As the Deputy may be aware, the number of recruits in the Garda training college continue to increase, a total of 746 trainees entered the training college in 2023. This is the highest intake in any year since 2018.