Spending axe will fall across all departments, vows Ahern

JUSTICE Minister Dermot Ahern said he could not rule out cutbacks in spending in his department for the rest of this year.

On the day Taoiseach Brian Cowen published figures on falling tax revenues and announced strict spending controls, Mr Ahern said the axe would fall across all departments, including his own.

“I’m not saying no cutbacks, I can’t answer that,” he said yesterday. “The reality is, as the Taoiseach has said, corrective measures have to be taken between now and the end of the year and that will be across all Government departments.

“We are in a different circumstance. The Government are absolutely adamant that we will take the corrective measures necessary, but frontline services, by and large, and people who are less well off will, to a certain extent, be looked at favourably.”

He added: “I’m happy that whatever takes places within my department that An Garda Síochána will be able to continue to do its work to the same level as they have been doing for the earlier part of this year.”

Speaking at the expansion of the Garda Mountain Bike Unit yesterday, Mr Ahern said the force had been “incredibly resourced” over the past number of years.

Garda commissioner Fachtna Murphy said he was “happy” with his budget. “I have my budget for the year. I’ve got my allocation and I’m working with that. But I’m not going to let budgetary issues prevent me from providing a proper policing service to the people of Dublin and the whole country.”

He said the additional 130 mountain bikes — bringing the total strength to 500 — would improve the link between gardaí and the community.

He said he was concerned about recent gangland attacks in the Crumlin and Drimnagh areas of Dublin, but said Garda activity was preventing many serious incidents.

“I can assure the public the Garda Síochána will be out there in the faces [of], making the arrests and preventing these dangerous people from doing what they’re doing at the moment.”

He said the force had seized 410 firearms so far this year. He said 91kgs of heroin was seized to date — 75% of the total for last year.

In relation to the investigation into Sophie Toscan du Plantier and the medical tests being carried out on her body in France, he said: “What the French authorities are doing is a matter for the French authorities, but the Garda Síochána in whatever way possible will help in that.

“As far as the investigation here, it has been a difficult investigation. We would prefer if there was a different result, but these things are difficult to solve and the investigation is ongoing and An Garda Síochána is open to assist any other agency in any way that we can help.”