Nearly €3 million (£2.36 million) will be spent next year on computer systems to allow the Garda S∅ochβna to exchange information with other EU police forces, the Estimates reveal.
"This will open the way for the significantly increased co-operation between the garda∅ and their European counterparts," the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue said.
The Department of Justice's budget will fall by 4 per cent next year, though spending on the Gardai will rise by 4 per cent, the Prison Service's budget's by 6 per cent, and the Courts Service spending will rise by 3 per cent.
Total spending by Justice will be €235.5 million, while the Garda will have €917 million. The Prisons Service, which is ready to refurbish Limerick Jail next year, will have €311million available.
Salaries and pensions costs will jump significantly in all parts of the Minister's brief. The rise will be 11 per cent in the Department itself, 6 per cent in the Garda and 7 per cent in the Prisons Service.
The Witness Protection Programme budget will increase by 193 per cent, to €992,000: "We cannot say what the money is spent on, or on how many people," said a Department spokesman.
The IT spending next year will include money to let the Garda work the licence penalty points systems, which has been long promised by the Department of the Environment.
The Department of Defence's budget will fall next year by 4 per cent, following the purchase in 2001 of a new ship for the Naval Service and armoured personnel carriers for the Defence Forces.
Meanwhile, the proceeds from the sale of military barracks around the country will begin to tail off in 2002, with revenues dropping from €21.6 million this year to just €4.5 million.
The final €18 million payment due on the troubled Gulfstream IV government jet, which broke down last week during the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern's visit to the United States will be paid before the end of this year.
Spending on the Naval Service's fleet will drop from €25 million this year to €10.7 million in 2002, following the purchase this year by the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, of the LE Niamh.
The refurbishment budget will rise by 16 per cent, as the Defence Forces continues to invest in its remaining barracks. Nearly €40 million is currently being spent on The Curragh Camp.
"The money provided for 2002 means that there will be no loss of impetus in the building and modernisation programmes which were promised in the White Paper on Defence," said the Minister, Mr Smith.
