David Cullinane
Question:1290. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Justice the total Covid-19-related spend in 2020 by her Department, agency and budget line item; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16272/21]
View answerWednesday, 24 March 2021
Questions (1290)
Written answers
The impact of Covid 19 was felt throughout the Justice Sector in 2020 and gave rise to additional expenditure in a number of areas including front-line services, in An Garda Síochána, Prisons, Courts and services for victims of domestic abuse.
These additional requirements contributed to the need for net supplementary estimates in the case of the Garda Vote (€44.325 million); Prisons Vote (€14 million) and Courts (€23 million). While there were other factors giving rise to the supplementary estimates including funding under the Government Economic Stimulus Package, the impact of additional Covid expenditure was a significant contributory factor. In other cases, the costs were met from reallocating expenditure from other areas across the Vote Group.
Garda Síochána
I have been informed by An Garda Síochána that the total expenditure related to Covid 19 was in the region of €84.3 million in 2020.
There was approximately €25.2 million in additional payroll cost mainly related to the implementation of an emergency Covid roster since April 2020. This was subsequently extended taking account of some revisions following the first months of operation and the costs relate to unsocial hour allowance payments to Garda Members with Employer’s PRSI also increasing as a result. In addition, the early attestation of trainee Gardaí to respond to the Covid crisis also contributed to the increased payroll costs.
The overtime cost related to Covid activity in 2020 was in the region of €32 million.
It should be noted that the payroll system does not distinguish between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 activity of a member on the contingency roster. Therefore, there is an element of estimation to identify the estimated increase in pay costs.
Expenditure on PPE was a significant cost factor for all front-line services in the State and the Gardaí were no different. The additional cost in 2020 was in the region of €14 million.
The community focus of policing has been central to success of the Garda’s response to Covid and this has been supported with additional investment of €6.1 million in the Transport Fleet.
Other additional costs directly related to Covid related to the temporary hire of vehicles €1.7 million, additional travel and subsistence costs of €1.4 million, ICT Telecommunications and other overheads such as additional cleaning and sanitation €3.9 million.
Prisons
Covid related expenditure in the Prisons Vote in 2021 was in the region of €7 million. The main areas of expenditure were reflected in the cost of PPE and medical (over €3 million) deep cleaning/maintenance (approximately €2.7 million) and in ICT (€700,000) in relation to remote working including the provision of services such as video linking facilities for prisoner families.
It should be noted that there may be additional costs not as directly related to Covid due to the complexity in apportioning costs based on the invoicing processes of external suppliers. In addition. In addition, some additional hours payments were paid to staff during 2020 to cover situations where colleagues were off duty due to sickness and/or isolation/quarantine related to the pandemic.
Prisons are a high risk environment for transmission of such viruses and the IPS has been proactive in managing and mitigating against the risk since the beginning of the crisis.
The senior management team has been meeting every day since early March 2020 dealing with the day to day security, safety, healthcare, operational and management challenges posed by the pandemic.
An Emergency Response Planning Team was also activated on commencement of the crisis, with key stakeholders represented and meetings convened on a weekly basis to identify and implement protection measures and processes to minimise the impact on prisoners and staff.
Courts
The Courts Service experienced a significant shortfall of in the region of €18 million in Court fee income due to the impact of Covid 19.
The Courts Service has also informed me that it spent in the region of €5.4 million in directly related Covid expenditure including €3.3 million in the fit-out of courtrooms for virtual court hearings and providing staff working remotely with ICT hardware; €550,000 in the hiring of additional Court venues to facilitate social distancing; €500,000 in additional cleaning and hygiene equipment in courthouses and court offices; €409,000 primarily relating to signage installed in courthouses and court offices and €510,000 in additional security and Jury related services to maintain social distancing in courthouses.
Justice Vote
Expenditure in relation to Covid 19 arose in respect of the Justice Vote also in 2020.
While not specifically a campaign to raise awareness of COVID-19, since March 2020 my Department has been running the important ‘Still Here’ campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to reassure victims of domestic abuse that support services from State agencies and the voluntary sector are still available and accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of what level of restrictions are in place.
In addition to reminding victims of domestic abuse that help is ‘Still Here’, the campaign also reminds anyone concerned for their safety that the restrictions on movement do not apply to people at risk or who are removing themselves from a domestic abuse situation.
The Department has spent just under €398,000 on the Still Here campaign in 2020.
Additional funding of almost €378,000 was provided to organisations for additional services for Victims of Crime and Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence arising out of the COVID crisis
Agencies such as the Legal Aid Board has spent in the region of €594,000 on Covid related costs in 2020. Other costs incurred in the Justice Vote related to the Coroner Service where, pending a fuller analysis, Covid related expenditure is expected to be in the region of €120,000.
The Department incurred additional ICT costs of in excess of €550,000 to facilitate remote working and other additional cleaning and sanitisation costs of over €200,000.
It is not possible to breakdown precisely some of the expenditure in relation to Covid in certain areas as the cost would not have been invoiced separately.