Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 September 2019
229. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the breakdown of costs associated per year in regard to implementing the report A Policing Service for the Future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38822/19]
View answerUnprecedented resources are currently being provided to An Garda Síochána by the Government. A total budget of €1.76 billion has been allocated to An Garda Síochána in 2019, in addition to capital investment of €92 million this year. This represents a 50% increase in capital funding to An Garda Síochána compared to 2018.
This investment is supporting an ambitious ongoing process of Garda reform, arising from the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing and A Policing Service for the Future, the 4-year implementation plan for that report published last December.
Implementation of the plan is being overseen by a dedicated Policing Reform Implementation Programme Office located in the Department of the Taoiseach, as recommended by the Commission. An Implementation Group on Policing Reform (IGPR) with collective responsibility for delivery of the implementation plan has been established with Helen Ryan, former member of the Commission, as its independent chair.
A Policing Service for the Future is a living document and throughout the implementation process, the Programme Office will be reviewing and updating the plan as required, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, to maintain ambitious but realistic commitments, time-frames and milestones in delivery of the reform project. Further information is available on the Policing Reform Portal at the following link https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/065724-policing-reform/
As the Deputy will appreciate, much of the cost of the implementation of this reform process arises against the regular votes of the Departments, organisations and agencies involved. The vast majority of the costs are in the Garda Síochána Vote, including in relation to staffing, training and ICT. As such, the full costs are not disaggregated and it is not possible to give a full breakdown at this time.
