The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote and as such is responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources at his disposal.
Those resources have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation for An Garda Síochána for 2018 of €1,650,209,000, as per the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2018.
This budgetary provision as well as the significant capital investment in An Garda Síochána in recent years are in support of the Government’s commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country, to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime.
A 5% increase in the 2018 allocation would bring the total to €1,732,719,450.