Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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1588.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the additional funding her Department requires in 2025 to recruit 800 additional Garda trainees; to confirm if her Department has funding in place for this or if additional funding will be required in the budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33016/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime. An Garda Síochána has been allocated unprecedented funding of over €2.35 billion for 2024 – this is a 25% increase since 2020. This funding will allow for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including for the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The Deputy will further appreciate that funding for An Garda Síochána is provided through its own Vote. The Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Síochána under the provisions of the Act.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the estimated 2025 payroll cost associated with the recruitment of 800 trainees in 2025 is in the region of €7.2 million.

It is assumed that the 800 trainees are recruited in four tranches spread throughout the year and that the first intake of recruits will be scheduled to attest as Gardaí before the end of 2025.

The estimate includes a basic training allowance and certain fixed allowances payable for the 35 week training period. When attested, Garda move to point 1 of the Garda pay scale. An estimation of certain fixed allowances, variable unsocial hours’ allowances and employer’s PRSI has been calculated and included in the estimated figure above for the recruits that commence training in 2025 and that would be due to attest by the end of 2025.

Pay increases scheduled for 2025 are taken into consideration for newly attested Garda.

Other potential costs including the cost of equipment, subsistence and accommodation are not included. It should also be noted that the estimated figures do not take account of any overtime costs or potential future pension costs.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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1589.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the additional funding her Department requires for recruiting every additional 100 members of Garda civilian staff, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33017/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is the accounting officer of An Garda Síochána and is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including human resource matters such as the recruitment of civilian staff. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am assured however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

I am committed to the principle that everyone should be safe, and feel safe. Ensuring that An Garda Síochána are properly resourced is key to achieving this goal. The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion in Budget 2024, up 25% since 2020, 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.

As of 28 June 2024, there are 3,502 Garda staff working alongside Garda members and carrying out vital roles to increase availability of Gardaí to focus on frontline duties. The significant increase in Garda staff in recent years has enabled 900 Gardaí to be freed up for frontline duties.

The Garda authorities have advised that the estimated full year payroll related cost of recruiting 100 Garda Staff is in the region of €5.7 million.

I am further advised that the calculation is an estimate only as it must take account of several unknowns, such as the actual grade, and date of recruitment of any new Garda staff. Hence, the above figures are annualised costs based on 50 Clerical Officers, 25 Executive Officers, 15 Higher Executive Officers and 10 Assistant Principal Officers paid at the midpoint of the current pay scale. An estimation of employer’s PRSI is also included.