I welcome the opportunity to meet the committee as it considers the Estimates for my Department's group of Votes and the 2009 annual output statement. The 2009 annual output statement, which has been circulated to members, is the third such statement to be produced in my Department. As the committee will know, the output statement process was introduced in 2007 with the express purpose of developing a more accessible, coherent and systematic approach to measuring the delivery of Departments' specific targets which derive from individual estimates allocations.
I can inform the committee that my Department's experience to date of this process has been positive. Its continuing implementation and operation is leading to greater precision of focus on the outcomes of departmental spending with consequential improvements in transparency, accountability and value for money.
This process has a particular application for Dáil scrutiny such as today's proceedings, in giving a clear and comprehensive overview of the Department's proposed expenditure in 2009, as well as the outputs expected to flow from the funding allocated. I trust this format will assist today's deliberations.
Before addressing the detail of this year's financial provision for the justice sector, it important that I set out the context in which the 2009 Estimates were framed. The prevailing economic environment has led to an unprecedented contraction in Exchequer finances. Consequently, the financial pot from which departmental moneys are allocated has shrunk considerably. On taking up office as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and having an appreciation for the likely outcome of the Exchequer position on the justice sector, I set tackling crime as my top and absolute priority for 2009 and directed my officials accordingly in the context of my Department's participation in the Estimates negotiation process. In the circumstances I was, therefore, pleased to be able to deliver an Estimates package of more than €2.57 billion for the justice sector in 2009. This package has at its heart the key priorities of policing, crime prevention and tackling crime and to the greatest extent possible preserves front-line services and maintains core functions across the sector.
While voted expenditure for 2009 shows a reduction of approximately 4.5% on the equivalent figure for 2008, it stands well above previous years' allocations. By way of contrast, the sector's gross allocation in 2007, 2006 and 2005 was €2.45 billion, €2.22 billion and €2.07 billion, respectively. Clearly, while the sector has fewer resources at its disposal now than in 2008, its financial allocation remains 24% above the 2005 position. However, that said, it is the case that due to restricted resources and the re-prioritisation of spending in line with my policy of funding following priorities some areas have had their budgets significantly reduced. I regret that these reductions were necessary, but this is the unavoidable reality, given the Exchequer position and the restricted resources we now have and will have in the years ahead. That is the reality of being in government, having to make choices and not pretending to be all things to all people all the time.
In finalising individual agencies' budgets my Department was anxious to ensure all agencies would at the very least retain funding to discharge their core activities. We have achieved this, even if it means all areas must operate on a no frills basis, forgoing all unnecessary and non-essential expenditure.
I have stated my position clearly. At all times I have focused on preserving front-line services across the justice sector with a strong emphasis on obtaining value for money because that is what the public demands and expects the Government to do. The 2009 Estimates provision balances that objective with my overall priority of tackling crime.
Turning to the detail of the annual output statement, Deputies will be familiar with the nine core programmes or pillars across which the full array of the activity of the Department and its associated agencies is accounted. The annual output statement before the committee takes members through each of the programme areas, identifying the planned expenditure, broken down into programme and administrative outlay, and also setting out the number of staff employed under each heading. The statement then sets down specific output commitments on which it is intended to deliver during the course of the year, using the resources provided. In addition, a progress report on the 2008 output undertakings is given. On that front, I am pleased to report that the 2008 targets have in the main been achieved. In a small number of instances where it has not been possible to deliver in full, substantial progress has been recorded. The 2009 statement builds on the momentum of previous years, notwithstanding the fiscal situation. As in previous statements, specific targets are set. All that we aim to achieve in the current year is not limited to the stated targets, but they represent priority areas on our list of objectives.
A considerable amount of detail is provided in the annual output statement. In many respects it speaks for itself; therefore, I propose to keep the remainder of my opening remarks to highlighting pertinent areas and items that I know will be of particular interest to the committee.
Beginning with the community, security, law enforcement and crime prevention programme, €1.56 billion is provided in the Garda Vote component of the programme. This represents a 3% reduction on the figure for 2008. It would have been preferable if this reduction could have been avoided, but when compared to previous years' allocations, the facts speak for themselves. Again, by way of contrast, the gross Garda Vote allocation amounted to €1.45 billion in 2007 and €1.31 billion in 2006. The incontestable truth is the current Garda budget is now substantially larger than it was two or three years ago. This emphatically belies repeated accusations from some quarters that gardaí are being forced to operate with one hand tied behind their backs.
The facts are clear. Funding for two of the key components of the Garda Commissioner's strategy to target criminal gangs has been significantly increased. Operation Anvil's ring-fenced allocation has been increased to €21 million and funding for the CAB by 20%, enabling it to continue its vital work in seizing criminals' assets. Supporting the CAB's efforts are 102 Garda asset profilers located throughout the State who are profiling persons in local communities suspected of being involved in drug dealing or other forms of serious criminal activity.
Almost €68 million has been earmarked for IT and communications projects and equipment. This budget provides for the continued maintenance and enhancement of Garda systems and, more important, will facilitate the roll-out of the new national digital radio service. The roll-out of this secure, leading edge communications system commenced today in the Dublin metropolitan region where it will be fully operational by the end of August. Other Garda regions will follow in line with the provision of the network infrastructure.
The Government's long-term commitment to supporting the Garda Síochána is further evident in the very considerable increase in garda numbers in recent years. Again, the facts are indisputable. The number of attested gardaí increased from 10,968 at the end of 1997 to 11,895 at the end of 2002, to 13,755 at the end of 2007 and to 14,478 in the most recent figures. Even in this year of budgetary constraints, some 900 gardaí will be attested. While I am very mindful of the increased rate of garda retirements, a situation which I assure the committee is being kept under close review, I remain confident that the force is well placed to absorb the impact of budgetary and other constraints and continue to provide a top class policing service.
The community, security, law enforcement and crime prevention programme includes other key agencies involved in tackling crime. Most notably, a funding package of over €16 million is set aside for the Forensic Science Laboratory and the State Pathologist's Office. In particular, this provides for the development of a new State pathology laboratory and will facilitate the ongoing planning of the implementation arrangements for a DNA database which will be of considerable assistance in the investigation of crime.
As I said, my top priority is to maintain the crime fighting capacity of the Garda Síochána. For that reason I am advancing with speed a comprehensive and sweeping criminal justice reform programme. These measures will not only radically strengthen the hand of the Garda Síochána in tackling serious criminal activity but will also rebalance the criminal justice system in order that the advantage lies on the side of law and order and the victims of crime. Much of this legislation is already before the Oireachtas; the Surveillance, Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Criminal Procedure Bill are progressing through the Houses. The criminal justice (amendment) Bill which will primarily allow for gangland criminals to be tried in the Special Criminal Court and introduce new offences of directing a criminal organisation and participation in organised crime will be published shortly. I also expect to publish legislation establishing the DNA database in the coming months.
We must develop a long-term perspective and policy on criminal justice matters. With this goal in mind, I am advancing the State's first ever White Paper on crime which will map out how the criminal justice system should evolve in order that it is best placed to meet future challenges.
The Irish Prison Service's 2009 gross Estimate allocation is €379 million and, although this represents a reduction of 3.8% on the 2008 figure, it remains 7% above the Estimate provision for 2007. Again, as in 2008, provision for prison buildings and equipment features prominently, with good reason. Two key priorities for the Irish Prison Service remain the full implementation of the intensive and targeted series of measures being taken to replace and modernise the prison infrastructure and to strengthen prison security. To this end, a financial envelope of €48.3 million is provided.
Significant investment has been made in the prison system in recent years. Since 1997, in excess of 1,300 prison spaces have come on stream in the prison system. However, despite this investment, clearly in some of our prisons we are operating in excess of bed capacity due principally to the 7% rise in the number in custody in the past 12 months. I am dealing resolutely with this issue and 400 new prison spaces will come on stream in the coming weeks and months in Castlerea, Portlaoise and Wheatfield prisons.
In addition, 70 new places have recently been made available at Shelton Abbey and Loughan House. In the longer term, as has been made abundantly clear in recent weeks, the Government is firmly committed to replacing the prisons on the Mountjoy complex with modern prison accommodation at Thornton Hall. Within the next few weeks I will be bringing comprehensive new proposals to the Government setting out how we can proceed with building a new, modern, regime-oriented and cost-effective prison complex at Thornton Hall that best meets taxpayers' interests.
Turning to the courts programme, substantial investment will continue to be made in capital developments with €21 million provided for the building programme and €8.6 million to support the ongoing maintenance and enhancement of the Courts Service ICT infrastructure. For 2009 the roll-out of a digital audio recording system to 69 courtrooms nationwide is a key target in the ongoing implementation of the courts' four year ICT strategic plan. I also draw the attention of Deputies to the success to date of the criminal justice interoperability pilot project which has electronically linked the Garda Síochána, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service. Quicker processing of summons applications and reductions in duplication and manual work are the highly positive results of the project so far as case results are now communicated via the system.
Major courthouse works will continue in 2009 in Kilkenny, Monaghan, Gorey, Youghal and Kilmallock. I am also pleased to inform the committee that the public private partnership, PPP, criminal courts complex project, near Heuston Station, is well ahead of schedule and due for completion by the end of the year. This project is among the most ambitious and progressive ever advanced in the history of the State and will stand as an iconic and lasting legacy of the Government's unparalleled investment in the criminal justice system. The Four Courts, in the more than 300 years of its existence, has witnessed momentous events in Irish history. It continues to be an unequalled symbol of the rule of law and the permanency of justice. The new Courts of Criminal Justice Complex, situated as it is at the historic western entrance to the capital, marks the contribution of our time to the sense of permanency of justice. I am sure that, like its sister building, further down the quays it, too, will be a witness to great drama. There will be 21 new courtrooms.