Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy McDonald. I am delighted to live in the real world and I am sure she lives there as well. The Garda Commissioner has put significant additional resources into high-visibility policing in Dublin's city centre and that will continue. Of course, when the Deputy makes comments such as "the Government has cut", she is suggesting that the Government decides the allocation of gardaí, which she knows not to be true.

Gardaí are working tirelessly to keep our city safe for residents and visitors alike. The overall Garda overtime budget for 2024 is a substantial increase on last year, and a very significant number of permanent, full-time gardaí have been assigned to Dublin. A total of 157 new recruits were attested on 28 June from Templemore Garda College. Of them, 102 were assigned to policing duties in Dublin. While the distribution of Garda members and resources is a matter for the Commissioner, he is clearly supplementing resources in Dublin at each and every opportunity. There is also the deployment of the Garda national public order unit, which remains increased, with a full unit being deployed Sunday to Friday, inclusive, and two other units available to be deployed on Saturdays as well. I am happy to send the Deputy further information.

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