Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
756. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress which has been made in implementing the Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Statement of Strategy 2025–2028, specifically regarding recruitment of additional Gardaí and expansion of prison capacity; the way progress will be measured and reported to the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6223/26]
View answerMy Department's Statement of Strategy 2025-2028 lists 6 goals, each of which contains several key objectives that contribute towards that goal. The Strategy will guide the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for the next three years. Delivery will be planned and monitored through annual statements of priorities that will be published and which will inform business planning across the organisation. Progress will be monitored in the Department’s annual report. Key indicators will be developed and published to measure against outcomes.
The second of these goals is to support safe communities by strengthening law enforcement capabilities, providing for effective sanctions, and tackling the causes of crime. Two of the objectives listed under this goal are as follows:
• A well-resourced policing service, with the tools, powers and technology needed to keep people safe, supported by effective governance and accountability through the further implementation of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act
• A comprehensive response to ensuring adequate, humane space in our prisons, with alternative sanctions and a strong focus on rehabilitation in place.
Getting more Gardaí on our streets to prevent and detect crime remains my priority as Minister. This Government is fully committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with Budget 2026 providing unprecedented funding of €2.74 billion to support recruitment, training and staffing.
At the end of November 2025, the latest date for which figures are available, the total Garda workforce stood at over 18,200, which included 14,462 Gardaí, 3,486 Garda Staff, and 308 Reserves.
Recruitment into An Garda Síochána is now gathering real momentum and interest in a career as a Garda remains high, with over 11,000 applications received last year across two recruitment campaigns. Overall, I am informed by the Garda authorities that just under 800 trainees entered the Garda College in 2025, the highest number since 2018.
This demonstrates that there is a strong and sustained interest in a career as a Garda amongst the public and further recruitment competitions will be run to ensure that there is a steady pipeline of new recruits ready to enter the Garda College.
It is expected that there will be four intakes to the Garda College in 2026 and intake numbers will also be supported by ongoing capacity expansion works at the College.
Regarding prison capacity, I can advise the Deputy that over 440 prison spaces have been constructed since 2022, with the majority of these already in use and the rest due to be in use shortly. On conclusion of the National Development Programme Review in July, there was a record capital investment of €67.9 million agreed for 2026, as part of a total investment of €527 million from 2026 to 2030. €495 million will be invested in building projects to deliver on a plan with an overall target of delivering over 1,500 spaces by 2031.
This will be the largest ever building programme in the prison estate and will include a large extension to the existing Cork Prison on the site of the old decommissioned Cork Prison. The programme will include a new block in Wheatfield, an additional block extension at Midlands prison, as well as additional spaces at Castlerea, Mountjoy, Cloverhill, Portlaoise, Limerick and Dóchas. Design, planning and approvals have also commenced for a number of these projects. It will also fund planning and commencement of the construction of a new prison at the Thornton site in North County Dublin.
