Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2023
595. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice if he has met with members of An Garda Síochána regarding the Sale of Alcohol Bill; the concerns raised by them at this/these meeting(s); and his plans to address same. [15381/23]
View answerAn Garda Siochana was fully consulted as this general scheme was developed.
The Department of Justice continues to engage with An Garda Síochána in relation to the Sale of Alcohol Bill to ensure that it contains a full suite of enforcement powers to meet their policing needs.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, which is reflected in an allocation of over €2.14 billion under Budget 2023. This level of funding will provide a steady pipeline of new Gardaí in the coming years, and the Government will continue to work with the Commissioner to ensure that members of An Garda Síochána are fully supported.
This funding allocation will support the recruitment of up to 1,000 Gardaí and 400 additional Garda staff this year. An Garda Síochána, in partnership with the Public Appointments Service, launched a recruitment campaign on Friday 24 March 2023, which will ensure a continuous stream of candidates going into 2024.
The Government is also continuing its active, priority focus on combatting criminality and anti-social behaviour. A range of commitments are set out in the Programme for Government and Justice Plan. Budget 2023 included a €5m increase in the overtime budget for An Garda Síochána – to over €100m - to support high visibility policing to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
