Garda cash in with €1.6bn as bid to fight crime intensifies

MORE than €100 million is to be spent on creating a “hi-tech” police force under Budget 2008.

The fund is part of a total Garda budget of more than €1.6bn, which Justice Minister Brian Lenihan said will bring force numbers to 15,000 and fund anti-gangland operations.

Fine Gael accused Mr Lenihan of doctoring the garda figures, stating that Finance Minister Brian Cowen’s budget catered for 14,200 gardaí by the end of 2008.

Overall, the allocation for the Department of Justice and Equality rose 10%, reaching about €2.7bn.

Despite the rise, the justice area was not mentioned in Mr Cowen’s one-hour speech to the Dáil.

The increased budget will fund building work in the Prison Service, an expansion of the Youth Justice Service and the Probation Service and the establishment of a new domestic violence agency, Cosc.

The additional €170m allocated to the Garda will be mainly spent on introducing “leading-edge” technology. This includes a new state-of-the-art digital radio system to replace the analogue system in place.

A new automatic number plate recognition system is also to be expanded.

Mr Lenihan welcomed the budget increase and said the fight against crime was a top priority.

“The Gardaí will pursue those who seek to wreak havoc in our cities, towns and neighbourhoods.

“The resource package for the force in 2008 is the highest ever. As well as providing for 15,000 members of the force and a greatly increased civilian cohort, I am also providing more than €100m for leading-edge police technology aids. If gardaí are to do their job well, they must have the very best in tried and proven technology.”

Fine Gael’s justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said Mr Cowen and Mr Lenihan were at odds in relation to garda numbers.

“Brian Cowen’s budget provides funding for just 10% of the Government’s promise, with funding for only 200 extra gardaí by the end of next year, bringing the total to 14,200 fully attested members. There is now a sharp difference between the Ministers for Justice and Finance in terms of Garda numbers, as Minster Lenihan speaks of 15,000 gardaí, but his Finance Minister, who holds the purse strings, speaks of 800 fewer.”

A spokesman for Mr Lenihan said: “They are not at odds. Minister Cowen said there will be 14,200 attested by the end of 2008, he’s right. The commitment for 15,000 attested officers is by 2010.”

Mr Lenihan said the budget also allows for 300 civilians to be employed at garda stations outside Dublin, 320 extra prison spaces and 70 more probation officers.

The Courts Service will receive a 4% rise in funding, bringing its allocation to €136m.