Modest Garda reform budget of €60m offset by overtime reduction

The Government is providing €60 million for Garda reform next year, though the recruitment of an additional 800 members to the force must come from that money.

While the Garda and wider justice budgets have been increased, the sums for Garda reform appear modest. And spending on overtime is being reduced next year; by €3.5 million to €95 million.

The reduction in overtime is likely to prove contentious. The Government has been putting pressure on Garda headquarters to reduce overtime spending in recent years.

While €98.5 million was allocated for Garda overtime this year, some €95 million was spent in the first nine months of the year. Overtime spending has been curtailed in recent weeks because it was on course to overshoot by €30 million by year end.

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News that the provision for next year is the same as the sum spent in the first nine months of this year will lead to concerns that proactive policing will be undermined in some areas, Garda sources said.

However, the recruitment of 800 new gardaí, as well as additional civilian staff, will see the strength of the force increase above 14,000 sworn officers for the first time in almost a decade.

More promotions in the Garda are also being provided for, with 110 extra sergeants and 81 additional inspectors to be put in place next year.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan believes as the strength of the Garda increases, the need for overtime will be reduced.

Overall, the Justice sector – including the Garda and its oversight bodies as well as the prison service, courts and direct provision for asylum seekers – is being increased by 8 per cent to €2.79 billion next year.

Of that, the Garda budget for 2019 has been set at €1.76 billion; an increase of €110 million on the current year.

However, most of that increase for the Garda is going on pay as the force expands with the recruitment of both sworn members and civilians.

An additional €72 million has been provided for Garda payroll costs, which will reach €1.05 billion next year.

A further €3.5 million is being allocated for Garda training and €1.5 million has been committed for the roll-out of hand-held devices for frontline gardaí.

ICT investment

Under the National Development Plan, the Garda capital allocation increases by 50 per cent to €92 million. Most of that sum, or €65 million, will be used to invest in ICT.

Investment in technology was a significant recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

However, an implementation plan for all of the reforms recommended has not yet been set out. And beyond recruitment and investment in ICT, the 2019 Garda budget does not contain significant money for that implementation.

Also within next year’s Garda budget, some €10 million has been provided for the purchase of new vehicles and €17 million is being made available for the Garda building programme.

An additional €70,000 is provided for the Criminal Assets Bureau, bringing its budget for 2019 to €8.6 million.

And some €1.6 million in extra funding has been allocated to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, which investigates complaints made about gardaí by members of the public. Its annual budget will now be €10.7 million, allowing the Garda watchdog to recruit more staff.

Prison staff

In the prisons area, some €6.5 million is being made available to recruit more staff. The total spend on prisons in 2019 will be €359 million, up €18 million on this year. Some €8 million is for capital spending, with a new female wing at Limerick Prison a priority.

The Irish Courts Service budget increases by €6.8 million to €138.4 million. The extra money will be used for recruitment and technology.

An additional €12 million is being allocated to the criminal legal aid scheme. The increase comes at a time of increased numbers coming before the courts as the number of crimes being recorded has begun to rise again.

Some €4 million extra is committed for additional accommodation for asylum seekers. And the Data Protection Commissioner is to receive an extra €3.5 million.