Extra €4 million for Garda is 'too little too late'

The provision of an extra €4 million for Garda overtime over the next eight weeks has been criticised today by Opposition parties as an example of poor planning.

Mr Joe Costello, Labour spokesman on Justice questioned the provision of additional resources in November and December calling instead for an "adequately funded Gardai all the time, not just for two months of the year".

"This is but a drop in the ocean of the resources required for the Gardai to do their job, and it is ridiculous that the money is especially ear-marked for one particular time of the year and not spread out over time."

Mr Jim O'Keeffe, Fine Gael justice spokesman, said it was "too little too late".

"It is a fact that the overtime budget had been exhausted this year because of the demands of the EU Presidency, the May Day Accession celebrations and the Bush visit," he said.

He said the extra money, while welcome, "raises the question of the crime consequences of the inadequacy of provision earlier this year."
 
This morning, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell said the extra funding will allow gardaí to mount additional patrols and checkpoints in an effort  to deter drink-driving and detect those breaking the law between now and the New Year.

However, he also admitted that law and order does not deteriorate at this time of year, although  intuitively that is what would be expected.

"You would think intuitively that it does seasonally deteriorate over that period but in fact a lot of people concentrating on Christmas activities take their eye off other anti social activities," said Mr McDowell.

The cost of providing security for the visit of President Bush was also noted by Mr Costello, who said "if it's good enough for so much money to be spent on protecting one US President, then the same amount should be spent on protecting 4 million Irish citizens all year round."

And the Minister hinted that the additional funding may partly offset the cost of security for the 24-hour visit by President Bush on June 25/26th. Mr McDowell said the Garda was allocated an extra €7.5 million for the EU Presidency from which €4 to €5 million was "unexpectedly required" to pay for the Bush visit.

But he rejected Mr Costello's view that the additional funding announced today should have been provided earlier in the year, describing this as a "poor mouth attitude".

"Of course I want to spend more money on An Garda Síochána. But every extra euro I spend is a euro less available to accident and emergency. Choices have to be made."

Mr McDowell said later this month the strength of An Garda Síochána would reach an all-time high of 12,200, the limit allowed under Government manpower policies.

However, these limits have been revised and the Minister has committed to having 14,000 gardai at work or training by 2006.