I thank the Deputies for their comments and contributions on the Labour Party motion today. I particularly note many of the complimentary comments in relation to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, who obviously has a vast knowledge and deep understanding of this area and, indeed, the workings of An Garda Síochána. Like others, I want to express my thanks to An Garda Síochána for the excellent work it does on a daily basis. Over the next couple of minutes, I will outline the impact of the work that An Garda Síochána does in Ireland. The 2025 Global Peace Index outlined that Ireland remains ranked overall the second most peaceful country in the world, after Iceland, and in the top ten in the societal safety and security category. That is very much down to the work of An Garda Síochána. Long-term trends continue to demonstrate an ongoing and sustained reduction in recorded crime. An Garda Síochána recently highlighted that CSO figures show that Ireland recorded a 7% reduction in crime between 2019 and 2024 while undergoing a 9.3% increase in population - that is significant - and an even greater reduction in crime between 2002 and 2024 while experiencing a 37% increase in population. As the population has gone up, the work of An Garda Síochána has led to a situation were crime is reducing. While crime levels are relatively low, the Government is not complacent and will continue to invest in An Garda Síochána to enhance its ability prevent and detect crime. In this regard, I am pleased to be able to outline further supports this Government is providing to An Garda Síochána. In order to ensure that the needs of the organisation are met over the next decade, the Garda training review group has been established. The group is tasked with identifying options to increase the scale and capacity of high-quality education, training and continuous professional development in An Garda Síochána. The group will also consider specifically the case for a second training college and the role that the tertiary system could play in the delivery of Garda training for all members of An Garda Síochána. This work will also recognise that there will be increased training needs right across the organisation as it continues to meet new challenges and deliver on its mandate. Late last year, following the review of the national development plan, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, secured €2.18 billion for a justice sectoral investment plan out to 2030. There is €911 million of this allocated to Garda projects, including the completion of new Garda stations. This investment will see the completion of new Garda stations in Portlaoise, Newcastle West and Bailieborough, in 2026 and early 2027. It will also support work on new stations in Macroom, Clonmel, Castletroy, Carndonagh and a new HQ for the Dublin north region. The Garda College in Templemore will also receive a significant investment, as the Minister mentioned earlier. Importantly, €35 million in funding is also provided for a rolling programme of minor refurbishment works at Garda stations around the country. I will have to mention my local station in Clonakilty, which will avail of this investment. This investment will ensure that stations across the country receive the improvements they need. I also want to highlight the €69 million the Minister has allocated through the sectoral investment plan to expand, modernise, diversify and electrify the Garda fleet over the next five years. Following sustained investment in air assets, a second new helicopter will be delivered in 2026, significantly enhancing surveillance, search and public order capabilities. Funding is also provided to An Garda Síochána to further develop its drone technology as well as accommodation for the equine and canine units. There has been €460 million allocated in the national development plan to increase Garda capabilities in the areas of digital transformation, technology and cybersecurity. We have seen the benefits of funding in this area in recent times. All gardaí are now equipped with mobile devices which allow them to, among other things, access the PULSE system, scan driver licences to check for validity and disqualifications, and verify insurance, tax and national car test, NCT, details for road users. As a result, gardaí can quickly and efficiently identify offenders and issue fixed-charge notices for a range of traffic offences. Additional funding to support the full nationwide roll-out of body-worn cameras for An Garda Síochána is critical to protect front-line gardaí and prevent criminal activity. There has been €19 million allocated as part of budget 2026 to support this. Highly successful pilot projects have been operating in Dublin city, Waterford and Limerick. Body-worn cameras are curbing public aggression and preventing crime, and the evidential value of footage is helping to secure convictions in court. This Government is also working to support the gardaí by bringing through legislation which allows An Garda Síochána to respond to the challenges it faces. The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 is progressing through the Houses. Once enacted, this legislation will save Garda time associated with reviewing vast amounts of video footage and images. It is not acceptable that gardaí are spending hours on end combing through footage for evidential material when we can make use of a technological solution. This Bill will also provide for biometric analysis which conducts searches of general characteristics, unknown individuals and known individuals. It is intended that biometric analysis may be carried out retrospectively on documents gathered in the course of an investigation by gardaí in the context of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of an arrestable offence; in the search for missing persons; and for the protection of the security of the State. There will, of course, be protections and oversight mechanisms put in place, including a code of practice and oversight by a High Court judge, who will report to the Taoiseach annually on the operation of biometric analysis. The Government is also progressing the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026. The primary aims of this Bill are to provide a clear and transparent statutory basis for the existing police powers of search, arrest and detention, supported by statutory codes of practice; subject to those powers, place the fundamental and procedural rights of suspected and accused persons on a statutory basis; and rationalise and modernise the powers to take account of developments in modern technology and best practice in policing. The Garda operating model has also introduced a number of new ways in which the Garda organisation is administered. These changes reflect the fact that policing has changed at the same time as our country has changed. Transformation in our way of life, in our work, in our communities, in technology and in our infrastructure have meant changing demands on Garda resources. What has not changed is the ethos and mission of An Garda Síochána. The new operating model has changed the way in which Garda work is managed and has enabled An Garda Síochána to free up policing resources to do police work. It takes account of the fact that there are newer types of crime, such as cybercrimes, that require specialist resources. Domestic and sexual violence has also been a focus of the Garda Síochána and of Government in the past number of years, and the roll out of divisional protective services units across the country is welcome. This is to say that the gardaí should be able to change the way they work, the way they are structured and the way in which resources can be deployed to adequately serve the community. The operating model is facilitating these changes so that all policing services can be delivered locally. There are assertions that rural areas in particular feel the operating model does not work, and that it breaks the link between communities and their gardaí. However, the model has realigned Garda functions so that there is at least one dedicated community engagement superintendent in every division. In larger divisions, there are two or three, each over a community engagement area. The model removes the administrative load from these senior gardaí to other functions within the division such as business services, so that they can focus on delivering front-line policing, which is what we want our gardaí to be doing. An Garda Síochána plays a crucial role in ensuring the security of the State, protecting and serving communities across Ireland through the maintenance of law and order and upholding the principles of justice. All of the work and investments made by this Government are making a difference to the ongoing development of that service, and will ensure that communities across Ireland can be confident in the policing service they receive from An Garda Síochána, now and in the years and decades to come.

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He was here for almost the entire debate.

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