Budget 2017: Gains for forensic science and gardaí but overtime cut

Funding to boost staffing levels in An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service and to bring forward the construction of a new forensic science laboratory are contained in the Budget 2017 allocation to the Department of Justice.

But there has been a €20m drop in Garda overtime, used to fund special gangland, burglary, and terrorism operations.

This is despite an overall increase of €28m in current expenditure funding to the Garda Síochána, some €19m of which goes on salaries, driven by increasing staff numbers.