Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 March 2013
1. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the discussions he has held with the Garda Commissioner on the funding available for the Garda; the total number of gardaí he expects in the force by 2013, 2014 and 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11769/13]
View answerI have regular discussions with the Garda Commissioner, including discussions on Garda resources. It goes without saying that no Minister would choose the appalling financial position in which I have had to operate. In that context, the legacy the previous Fianna Fáil-led Government bequeathed to me was a series of expenditure ceilings for the justice sector which, if applied, would have resulted in devastating cuts in Garda services which I, as Minister, would not and could not stand over.
The Fianna Fáil national recovery plan of November 2010 was unacceptable and would certainly have put the Garda Commissioner in an impossible position. Fortunately, I was able to secure additional funding over the three year period, from 2012 to 2014, to ensure the Garda Commissioner and Garda Síochána could continue to deliver an effective policing service. Specifically, I secured €2.243 billion for the justice sector for 2012, which was €118 million more than had been allocated by Fianna Fáil. For 2013, I secured funding of €2.2 billion, which was €191 million more than the Fianna Fáil allocation. For 2014, I secured €2.065 billion, which was €105 million more than the original Fianna Fáil allocation. Overall, had I not obtained this additional finance, the Garda would have stood to lose an average of €90 million each year under the Fianna Fáil plan for the years 2012 to 2014.
In 2013, the Garda financial allocation, which in gross terms amounts to more than €1.4 billion, is a substantial amount. I assure the Deputy and House that this allocation will be spent in the most effective way with the emphasis on the delivery of front-line services. In that general context, a budget of €5 million has been made available in 2013 for the purchase of additional Garda vehicles. The modernisation of the Garda fleet is a crucial part of supporting policing operations throughout the State.
Garda numbers have been reducing owing to the moratorium on recruitment introduced by the previous Government and the current strength is just under 13,400. My objective, despite the enormous financial issues facing the Government, is to ensure Garda numbers will not fall below 13,000 and I will bring relevant proposals to Cabinet in the coming weeks.
I am determined, as Minister for Justice and Equality, that the resources of the Garda Síochána will be used in the best, most effective and most efficient way possible. Overall, the primary Garda objective of combating crime will continue to be achieved. Despite the pressure on the public finances, it will be possible for the force to operate to the optimum benefit of our communities in a manner that will facilitate the prevention and detection of offences.
The Minister appears to be content to remain hamstrung by what he perceives was agreed by the Fianna Fáil Party when it was in office previously. I listened this morning to the Tánaiste, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, as he tried, in self-congratulatory mode, to outline what the Government has achieved, or failed to achieve, in the past two years. Three times, the Tánaiste indicated the Government had renegotiated aspects of the agreement with the troika. The Minister does not appear to have renegotiated anything for the benefit of the Garda Síochána.
On 5 January last, Tom Brady reported in the Irish Independent that the Garda payroll budget was sufficient to pay only 12,000 Garda members. Similar reports by the same journalist featured in the same newspaper on 9 and 15 January. Given that Tom Brady does not make up his reports, there must be some substance to them.
I submitted a freedom of information request to the Department seeking copies of the documents that have passed between the Department and Garda Síochána on this matter. The former denied that the payroll budget allocated to the Garda was inadequate. My request was refused this week on the basis that access to the records concerned could, in the opinion of the head, reasonably be expected to disclose positions taken or to be taken or plans to be used or followed for the purpose of any negotiation to be carried out or being carried out. It is obvious that some form of negotiation is taking place between the Department and Garda Síochána. Does the Garda have an adequate payroll budget to pay the approximately 13,400 members of the force? Will the Department enter into negotiations with the Garda representative associations to reduce Garda numbers by as many as 1,400 members by offering a three year career break, as has been reported? The Department has denied this is the case, the Minister has not spoken on the issue and my freedom of information request has been refused. Will the Minister shed some light on this matter? When I raised the issue previously he was less than clear about what was the position.
The Deputy obviously has listening difficulties. He stated I appeared to be hamstrung-----
Hang on a moment. The Minister should not personalise the issue.
Deputy Collins must resume his seat.
The Minister should address the issue.
Resume your seat, Deputy.
This is an immature failing on your part.
The Deputy should show some manners in the House.
The Minister should learn some manners.
This is not a shouting match. The Deputy should resume his seat.
I will do so.
The Deputy stated I appeared to be prepared to be hamstrung by Fianna Fáil's financial allocation.
I stated the Minister was happy to be hamstrung.
Resume your seat, Deputy, and stay quiet.
What the Deputy chose to ignore was that I explained I was not prepared to be hamstrung by Fianna Fáil's financial allocation.
The Minister did not renegotiate anything.
We negotiated the financial figures and, as a consequence, I have an additional €90 million available, on average, in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively, to fund the Garda force. The Deputy should be clear that I was not prepared to be hamstrung in any shape or form by Fianna Fáil's failure to provide adequately for the funding of the Garda.
The Minister is reducing Garda numbers to 12,000.
I will not be put off by the Deputy shouting across the Chamber at me.
It is as if the Minister did not engage in personal insults.
The hypocrisy in which he is engaging in trying to pretend that Fianna Fáil was not about to undermine the capacity of the Garda to-----
The Minister is undermining the Garda by reducing its strength to 12,000.
