Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2004
44 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of overtime hours expected to be worked by members of the Garda during 2004 and the cost of the overtime; his views on whether this is the best use of Garda resources; and if he plans to reduce the level of overtime worked by, for instance, the recruitment of additional personnel. [20686/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2004 Estimates included a provision of €58.359 million for routine overtime duties and an additional sum of €7.519 million for overtime arising from EU Presidency policing duties. The total amount provided in 2004 amounts to €65.878 million and equates to approximately 2.62 million overtime hours.
The nature of policing duties is such that Garda management are obliged to immediately respond to all manner of emergencies. The most efficient and cost effective way to respond to these short-term demands for instantaneous additional Garda resources is through overtime working. Similarly the most cost effective way to respond to the additional demands placed upon the Garda Síochána as a result of the EU Presidency was through overtime working.
The recruitment of additional gardaí will have an impact on the number of overtime hours worked by individual gardaí. Given the nature of policing duties a certain amount of overtime will continue to be required.
The provision of overtime budgets gives Garda management the ability to respond to particular situations in a flexible, efficient and cost effective manner.
