Plans for more prison staff are part of a €3.9bn package for the justice sector

Up to 350 new prison staff, 1,000 extra gardaí planned

01 Oct 2024, 15:51 · RTE.ie

The Government plans to recruit up to 350 more prison staff as part of a "significant" increase in funding for the Irish Prison Service.

It is part of a €3.9 billion package for the justice sector announced as part of Budget 2025.

That will also see the recruitment of up to 1,000 additional gardaí, and up to 150 garda civilian staff.

However, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has strongly criticised the Government's record on garda numbers following today's announcement.

The GRA said they were promised 800 to 1,000 new recruits by the end of this year, but that there will be barely 700 which, it said, "hardly covers the losses through retirements and resignations".

GRA General Secretary Ronan Slevin said that "what it means is that garda strength has actually fallen over the past three years, regularly dipping below the 14,000 mark instead of reaching the 15,000-16,000 numbers promised by successive budgets".

The GRA said the Government could have done "so much more" such as providing incremental rewards for members with long service, accommodation allowances for members sent to large urban areas for their first few years of service, increased allowances for trainees, increased pension payments and subsidised health insurance for all members.

The Association accused the Government of paying "lip service" and said that following today's announcement, rank and file gardaí "will not hold our breath".

'Significant' expansion in international protection processing system

Meanwhile, Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has also announced a "significant" expansion in the international protection processing system, including the recruitment of 400 additional staff.

Organisations providing supports for victims of domestic and gender based sexual violence will also receive an additional €7m, he said.

Alongside this, the minister also announced a €1.35bn funding allocation for the Defence Forces.

This would allow for the advancement of major upgrade programmes for defence equipment and infrastructure.

This includes an improved Defence Forces' uniform.

Meanwhile there would be an investment in advertising for recruitment, with an aim of recruiting, training and supporting a net increase of 400 more Defence Forces members next year.

Additional reporting Paul Reynolds