Results 41-60 of 1,098,767 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Paul Donnelly OR speaker:Pa Daly OR speaker:Martin Browne OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Gary Gannon OR speaker:Mary Butler OR speaker:Catherine Martin OR speaker:Roderic O'Gorman OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Jennifer Whitmore OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Marc MacSharry OR speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill OR speaker:Pippa Hackett OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Brian Leddin OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Brendan Griffin OR speaker:Alan Dillon OR speaker:Denis Naughten OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:Ivana Bacik OR speaker:Cian O'Callaghan OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton OR speaker:Pauline Tully OR speaker:James Browne OR speaker:Patrick Costello OR speaker:Bríd Smith)

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: There are always waiting lists for different elements of training within the Garda. No issue or concern has been raised with me directly by members or anybody else. There has been a significant uptick in the number of people trained. I can certainly endeavour to provide the Deputy with figures as to how many of those have also completed driver training courses.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Pa Daly: There was an additional €1.5 million of costs associated with the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act. What was the additional unanticipated amount for? There is an additional operational subhead of €1.5 million associated with the implementation of that Act.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I think those are just general costs. I will get a breakdown for the Deputy.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Pa Daly: I thank the Minister.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: At 1,000 trainees, it would be close to maximum capacity. I know that in years gone by, particularly for the cohort I spoke about from the 1990s, accommodation outside the college was used because the numbers far exceeded capacity. Approximately 1,200 trainees would be close to capacity for the college. We have not reached that level in recent years but I believe that is where we need to...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I believe so, if we want to go beyond 1,000 trainees per year, which we need to. The Covid-19 pandemic set us back. We cannot keep talking about the pandemic but it slowed down the engine that had started to speed up prior to it. If we want to go beyond 1,000 trainees, we need to look at matters in a different way. That was exactly why I established the committee. I did so to see what...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: They absolutely do. The current climate is one of full employment. We need to increase numbers beyond the 15,000 target that was set. I agree with the Commissioner that we need up to 18,000. I believe we can get to that number but if we are going to do so, we need to consider new and innovative ways to ensure we can exceed the targets.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The figure is €2 million.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: There is €2 million for that and the remainder is for the other.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: No.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: There will be training. I do not have the figures for how many will need to be trained but there will have to be a number of gardaí available to respond. The overall cost is €1.3 million for the two cannons.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is €8 million for the aircraft.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: For the second helicopter. It is on top of what was already spent last year. Just over €11 million was spent last year, so it is close to €20 million for one.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: This would be a quite high technology and high-powered helicopter, perhaps more than would be seen on a normal helicopter. This allows the Garda to have the capacity and capabilities to engage with our partners right across the various different services and supports as well.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Yes. It brings us in line with some of our international and European counterparts. It is something that An Garda Síochána has been looking to upgrade for quite some time. It has a life span of about 20 years so it is not something we need to invest in every second year.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Depending on the operations it is money well spent as well.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: It appears to be down to the extension from the age of 60 to 62, which is obviously positive. To the end of September 51 gardaí have secured extended service so it becomes an automated enrolment - people have to opt out if they do not want to stay on. Last year it was 55 for the whole year. To the end of September this year we had 51 so far. I expect we will know a lot more because...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The target is 2,000 additional reservists by 2026. Next year and the following year is when we will hire the vast majority of those. Prior to the competition opening there was a review of the overall structure of the reserve and its functions, as well as the recommendation to increase the stipend for reservists, which was secured in the budget. That has been set out. While there were some...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Pa Daly: I believe there is a problem in the Prison Service at the moment. It is bursting at the seams and I think the Minister would accept that. Wherever there is a spare broom closet or office in a prison they seem to be looking at turning it into cells. There are too many of these that are three to a cell. A life was lost recently. Has any money been set aside for revamping or refurbishing...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The funding secured to date for the 1,100 places does include the Curragh Camp. The final proposal for that is not yet complete. It has not been used in quite a while. It would provide accommodation for about 60 people. We need to make sure if we are investing in a standalone area that requires separate staff that we are getting value for money and that it can be used to its full...