Shatter outlines €32m shortfall for gardaí and Magdalene

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has outlined the need for a supplementary estimate of some €51 million to fund An Garda Síochána through the end of the year.

During an appearance before the Oireachtas Justice Committee, Mr Shatter said he also required a further €5 million to fund redress payments to women who lived and worked in the Magdalene laundries.

The committee heard that savings of €24 million from other areas in the department would be used to offset the costs, meaning an extra €32 million was required. The move is expected to be approved in the Dáil tomorrow.

Mr Shatter said the need for a supplementary estimate was “neither unusual nor unexpected” in an area as broad and diverse as his and that three were sought by and granted to the department between 2007 and 2010 under the watch of the last government.

The Minister criticised Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Niall Collins for "taking to the airwaves" over the issue as his party in government had regularly sought similar funds.

He rejected suggestions An Garda Siochana was “under resourced” and that some members were “rendered incapable of properly doing their job”, saying the force had run several highly successful operations and that the incidence of crime was down 8 per cent according to the Central Statistics Office.

The vast majority of the supplementary estimate is required to pay salaries and allowances to members of An Garda Síochána.

“Is the deputy suggesting that, in 2013, our gardaí shouldn’t get paid?” Mr Shatter said.

Mr Collins said all public servants should be paid and that Mr Shatter had dismissed concerns expressed by him about the Garda vote not being large enough to get through the year.

Earlier this month, Mr Shatter said former taoisigh such as Bertie Ahern earned enough money from the State to pay for their own security after it was reported that the former Fianna Fáil leader was attacked in a Dublin pub.

Mr Collins raised the matter during the meeting and said Mr Shatter should also be expected to pay for security at his home given that his predecessors had not received such entitlements.

Former taoisigh lost their entitlement to State cars and Garda drivers in 2011 under cost-cutting measures announced by the Government.

Mr Shatter said the Government had reduced the numbers with Garda drivers and that Garda advice had suggested he, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste should receive Garda protection.

The Minister said, on Garda advice, former taoisigh such as Mr Ahern had a security detail at their homes, which he respected and had no issue with.

He said media reports of the attack on Mr Ahern suggested it might not have happened if he still had a Garda driver and that if he felt the need to hire a driver, he should do so himself.