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Press release

Stronger, safer communities prioritised in Justice Budget 2023

  • up to 1,000 new Garda trainees and over 400 Garda staff to be recruited
  • further investment in resources- such as Garda vehicles, ballistic vests, body worn cameras and a new fixed wing aircraft - to help Gardaí tackle crime
  • Community Safety Innovation Fund boosted to €3 million to reinvest more CAB seizures in communities
  • €9 million increase in 2023, a 22% increase, to tackle domestic, sexual, gender-based violence; and support victims and implement the Zero Tolerance Plan
  • Youth Justice funding increased by €2.5 million to €24 million to divert young people from crime
  • Special Exemption Orders to be halved to help Night Time Economy ahead of longer term licensing reforms
  • major staffing package – including 100 new prison officers - for the Irish Prison Service
  • €9.2 million supporting response to the Ukrainian crisis
  • significant additional staff for International Protection Office as part of €17.7 million package to accelerate International Protection processing
  • €1 million to progress establishment of Gambling Regulatory Authority

The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee today warmly welcomed the Budget allocation of over €3.3 billion for the Justice sector in 2023 as demonstrating the government’s firm commitment to building stronger and safer communities.

The record funding will strengthen and support An Garda Síochána as they fight crime and protect communities; provide the highest ever funding towards tackling Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence through the implementation of Minister McEntee’s Zero Tolerance plan; and help achieve a series of significant reforms across the justice sector.

It will also support the goal of achieving a safe, fair, inclusive Ireland and ensure that vulnerable communities and victims of crime receive the support they need.

This significant funding – over €3 billion in current expenditure plus €272 million for capital projects – will also build on the work already underway to divert young people from criminal behaviour and underscore the fact that crime does not pay.

Budget 2023 also supports the rollout of critical modernisation and digitisation needs across the Justice sector and maintains the rate of increased resourcing to the Data Protection Commission to safeguard people’s privacy.

Minister McEntee said:

"Everyone deserves to be safe and feel safe – and we are determined to build stronger, safer communities.

"Today’s Budget is a clear commitment to building stronger, safer communities; supporting and strengthening An Garda Síochána and also towards supporting victims of crime and Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

"We recognise the devastating impact crime has, not only on the individuals whose lives have been affected, but on the wider community. I am committed increasing the number of Gardaí and Garda staff, but also investing in the resources they need to do their vital work protecting the public.

"High visibility policing is crucial to making sure that communities across the country are safe and feel safe.

"We will see up to 1,000 new Garda recruits enter the Garda College in Templemore next year, as well as the recruitment of 430 Garda staff to free up more frontline Gardaí for core policing duties.

"The recruitment campaign for An Garda Síochána this year saw 11,000 people apply to join the service – and we will open another campaign next year to help us guarantee that there are 200 new recruits entering Templemore every three months over the coming years.

"More Gardaí, plus additional Garda staff, will help people feel safer and will reduce crime. We are also providing more money for Garda overtime – and this means that Gardaí will be deployed as needed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in our communities.

"I will shortly announce the first successful applicants to the Community Safety Innovation Fund. This was established by Minister McGrath and I to reinvest the ill-gotten proceeds of crime seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau in community projects. I am really pleased that, because of this Budget, the fund will increase by 50 per cent next year to €3 million.

"Tackling Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence is an absolute priority for me as Minister for Justice - both providing victim-centred supports and services and ensuring perpetrators are punished.

"My Zero Tolerance plan, published earlier this year, is an ambitious five year strategy to help achieve Zero Tolerance in our society for this appalling type of violence and abuse.

"As Minister for Justice, I am the lead Minister in Government with responsibility for Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, with the provision of both services and policy now within the Department of Justice. 2023 will see us establish a new agency for domestic violence, which will become fully operational in January 2024.

"This Budget provides an extra €9 million for 2023, a 22% increase - record funding for combatting domestic, sexual and gender based violence. This will also support the implementation of the Zero Tolerance plan.

"This €9 million includes increased funding of €7 million for organisations funded by TUSLA to address acute service demands in existing services throughout the country, and for investment in new services as outlined in Zero Tolerance. This funding also strengthens the nationwide supports, and will help to maintain the momentum in implementing the ambitious goals set out in the national strategy."

Minister McEntee, along with Ministers Donohoe and McGrath, is also pleased to announce a halving of Special Exemption Order court and excise fees from €410 to €205 to support businesses in the Night Time Economy:

"The government is committed to supporting the night time economy – the many musicians, venues, event operators and organisers who are integral to creating a vibrant cultural life.

"I am really pleased to be announcing today, that from midnight tonight, the cost of applying for a Special Exemption Order – which late night venues require to open - will halve.

"This follows a number of measures we have taken to support the night time economy, and ahead of longer term licensing reforms which will be announced when I publish the General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill in the coming weeks."

Minister of State for Law Reform, James Browne, said:

"I am pleased to be providing an additional €2.5 million for youth justice measures, bringing the total investment in 2023 to nearly €24 million. This funding will support the Youth Justice Strategy’s aim of achieving full coverage of youth diversion projects around the country over the next two years so that every child who needs these services can access them. This funding will support initiatives to make every community safer by changing lives - steering young people away from bad choices and providing education, training and employment supports as well as personal development and sports activities. For some, these services can be the turning point that breaks the pattern of damaging behaviours and helps vulnerable young people to realise their potential.

"I am delighted to progress the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority which is a key Programme for Government commitment. The additional €1 million allocation for 2023 will support the CEO Designate in her preparatory work and help to ensure that the Authority will be in a position to start its work quickly following establishment. We are much closer now to ensuring that modern and effective licensing and regulatory measures are in place for the industry to reduce the significant harm caused by problem gambling."

Vote by Vote in detail

Garda Vote

The total gross allocation for the Garda Vote in 2023 is €2.14 billion, an increase of over €78 million.

The extra €78 million includes provision for:

  • recruitment of up to 1,000 new Garda recruits and over 400 Garda staff
  • a €5 million increase in the overtime budget for An Garda Síochána – to over €100 million - to support high visibility policing to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour
  • €6 million for new ballistic vests to protect frontline Gardaí
  • €3 million to start procurement of body worn cameras
  • an extra €11 million for new Garda mobile devices, apps and specialist equipment
  • an extra €21 million for ICT capital in 2023
  • €10 million investment in the Garda fleet to upgrade 270 cars

Minister McEntee said:

"A €21 million increase in the ICT budget will build on the excellent work of the modernisation programme, developing new cutting-edge technology to support frontline Gardaí. The additional funding will also allow procurement of the body worn camera programme to start in 2023.

"I am also very pleased to allocate €7 million in 2023 to begin the process of replacing the existing Garda fixed wing aircraft, which is now 26 years old. The Commissioner has identified this as an essential investment in surveillance capability to tackle organised crime and protect the security of the State. It is expected that the new aircraft will become operational in 2024."

Justice Vote

An additional €63 million is being provided in current expenditure for the Justice vote in 2023, bringing the total gross allocation to €545 million:

  • the €9 million package to support implementation of the Zero Tolerance strategy includes almost €7 million in additional funding for Tusla to address existing acute service demands throughout the country, and for investment in new services as outlined in the recent published Strategy
  • this funding also strengthens the nationwide supports and services for victims of crime, provides for targeted awareness raising campaigns and work to establish the new DSGBV statutory agency
  • this €9 million for 2023 is a 22% increase and provides record funding for combatting domestic, sexual and gender based violence next year
  • an additional €2 million has also been allocated to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal to provide for payment of claims from crime victims, bringing the total allocation for 2023 to €13 million
  • investment in Forensic Science Ireland includes funding for the cost of an additional 13 staff to fill key roles as FSI transitions over the coming months to its new state of the art laboratory at the State Science Campus in Backweston, Co. Kildare
  • an additional €2 million for the Probation Service includes additional staffing and project funding support
  • the Legal Aid Board is allocated an additional €3 million for 2023 in respect of legal advice and support to persons under the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity Act), which will come into effect shortly
  • an increase of €2.8 million will bring the total allocation for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission to €16.2 million to support its vital complaints investigation work. It also supports a project to scope out and support transition to the new Ombudsman structure recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing and provided for in the forthcoming Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill
  • initial upfront funding has also been provided for the establishment of an office in my department for Community Safety and the Office of the Independent Examiner, both of these are recommendations from the Commission on the Future of Policing which will be established under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. Funding has also been provided to the Policing Authority for transition costs to the new body and within the Garda vote for the appointment of a Board Chair (Designate) and support staff

Referring to the additional funding of €9.2 million for the Department of Justice response to the Ukrainian crisis, Minister McEntee said:

"I am very proud of my department’s response to this crisis, which reflects the strongly compassionate response of the Irish public. While the war continues to give rise to many challenges, especially for the Ukrainian people, this additional funding will ensure that my department will be able to continue to respond to the applications for temporary protection humanely and efficiently.”

The Minister also added:

"My department is managing a number of significant challenges in our immigration and international protection systems, with applications up following the COVID-19 pandemic, including a sharp increase in international protection applications. Additional funding of nearly €18 million will go towards increasing efficiency in processing applications, to reduce the risk of people remaining in the system for long periods with uncertainty about their status."

Prisons Vote

The total gross allocation for the Prisons Vote in 2023 is €411.2 million:

  • €6.5 million for additional staffing (including approximately 100 Prison Officers) across a range of functions, additional prisoner capacity in the new Limerick Women’s Prison and a new wing in Limerick Prison which will become operational shortly, replacing the old jail dating from 1821. Increased funding for recruitment will support attendance at vital education and training workshops. A further €2 million will provide flexibility in respect of additional attendance
  • an additional €4 million has been provided for non-pay expenditure in areas such as ICT, education and increased capacity costs

Minister McEntee said:

"I am particularly pleased that the budgetary package provides approximately €12.5 million in additional current expenditure for Prisons.

"I am proud of the contribution of frontline staff in the Irish Prison Service and in the Probation Service. Their dedicated work is vital in a progressive criminal justice system that looks beyond punishment to effective rehabilitation and reintegration.

"This Budget sees considerable additional funding for staffing, additional hours and better ICT for the Irish Prison Service which will enable us to grow staff capacity and strengthen governance to meet the needs of a complex and often challenging environment.

"The increased allocation to the Probation Service will support post release supervision of serious criminals and enhance the rehabilitative work that helps offenders to address and change their behaviour and results in lower levels of crime and greater public safety overall.

"This will enable significant additional recruitment across the service and will alleviate some of the pressures currently being experienced in the system coming out of the COVID-19 period. It also recognises the important rehabilitative work which is provided through education and work training programmes and the psychological and other medical services. The additional funding will continue to strengthen these important services."

Courts Vote

The total allocation for the Courts vote is €176.5 million including capital funding of €67 million:

  • further additional funding of €2.5 million has been provided for the modernisation programme to build on significant investment in recent years. This will enable the Courts Service to commence large scale implementation and delivery of the new ways of working, digital solutions and user-centric services which are vital to keep pace with demand
  • €2.5 million in funding has also been provided to strengthen and future-proof judicial support staffing in light of current backlogs and expected demands and future reforms across the system
  • halving of the court fee and excise for Special Exemption Orders from €410 to €205, reducing the cost for nightclubs and late bars to trade past normal trading hours, in line with the government’s commitment to support the night-time economy

Data Protection Commission

In recognition of the important role played by the Data Protection Commission in safeguarding privacy rights, the allocation for the Commission will continue on its trajectory of significantly increased funding in 2023. A further €3 million is allocated to cover increased staffing, including two new Commissioner posts, as well as legal fees and fit out of the Commission’s new premises, bringing the DPC’s budget to over €26 million, an increase of 13%.

Notes

Gross expenditure budgets for the 6 Votes in the Justice Vote Group total €3.3 billion and cover the following Votes:

  • Garda Vote (€2.14 billion)
  • Prisons Vote (€411 million)
  • Courts Vote (€177 million)
  • Justice Vote (€545 million)
  • Data Protection Commission Vote (€26 million)
  • Policing Authority Vote (€4.1 million)

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