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LAST UPDATE | 21 Sep 2022
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has told reporters that the recent announcement that government ministers would be driven by a pool of Garda drivers was necessary to protect senior ministers from attack.
Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships in Laois, Martin was asked if the reintroduction of Garda drivers for ministers, which was scrapped under austerity measures in 2012, was a good idea during the cost of living crisis.
“The government didn’t start it, a lot of ministers don’t want to return to Garda drivers. They’re quite happy with the civilian position that they have, which has costs as well, by the way,” he said.
“So I’m not sure what the net cost between transitioning from where ministers have civilian drivers to Garda drivers, but the Garda Commissioner is adamant.”
“There was a review done in terms of vulnerability of politicians to assault, attack and so on. So this is security matter. The commissioner is adamant in the security advice that’s been provided to me that if this isn’t done, there’s a risk to senior ministers. And that that’s the bottom line behind that.”
The Irish Examiner has reported that the current cost of the civilian drivers for ministers is about €2.5 million each year, less than the €6 million a year cost when all senior ministers had a Garda driver.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, who was also at the Ploughing Championships, said that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris takes the safety of minister very seriously.
“Obviously their security is under review consistently,” McEntee said.
“The reports have been presented to me and to government and I’m not really going to comment on this any further.”
She refused to comment on the costings of the move.
“But we do have a report, and we obviously take those reports very seriously, as does the Taoiseach and government and we’ll be responding to that report.
“This is a security measure and I think any security matter that’s presented to us by the Garda Commissioner, we have to take that seriously.”
“That’s what we’re doing. I can’t comment on this any further. But obviously anything that happens after that report, it’s a matter for government.
“I take these matters seriously, this is a serious issue and it is a security matter.”
Martin also addressed the recent joyriding incident in Cherry Orchard in which a Garda car was rammed, saying:
“I’ve already taken steps well in advance of what happened at Cherry Orchard, working with and Dara O’Brien to say we need to put additional resources to bank so yes, it’s a concern.”
“There’s a multilayered responses required to this in terms of both making sure we put services in and continue to add services and to empower the community to deal with this from a bottoms-up approach and to support the Gardaí in terms of resources,” he continued.
“We’ve dealt with similar episodes in the past in different locations around the country. There are ways of dealing with this, as I say in the multi layered way.”
When tackled on planned increases to PRSI as part of a major reform of the pensions system approved by Cabinet yesterday, the Taoiseach said it was a necessary measure to ensure long-term stability around a more equitable system.
“We have got to make sure that we have sustainability on pensions into the future. That’s for everybody,” he said.
“The social insurance fund is in surplus to the tune of about €3 billion, the predictions were that it would be in deficit. So we also need to put a qualifier that the actuarial assessments are not as precise as people will make them to be over a 30 year timeframe. That said, we have to be prudent, and we have to prepare for the future.”
With reporting by Lauren Boland and PA
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but no protection for us Joe soaps on public transport. talk about feathering your own nest.
@David Corrigan:
@David Corrigan: hahahahahaahahah
@Bala mc blaha: one of the main reasons they need protection is because they have forgotten Joe Soap and Joe is starting to let them know that Joe ain’t happy.
If they were not all nobs there would be no danger
@Tommy Thomason: great logic there ..
@Tommy Thomason: if the country wasn’t full of knobs they wouldn’t be in danger.
Martin has been part of a party and governments that have destroyed the provision of most social goods. He and his pals are now turning to the State pension. Not surprisingly, at the heart of his “solution” is a two-tier pension scheme that will favour the better off. The State pension is already gutted, and now they are stepping up the game, frightening citizens into the hands of the insurance companies. Housing, health services, refuse services, etc. all in crisis. Pensions are now being added to the list.
@Jim O’Sullivan: True. There’s a risk to everyone if gardai and garda stations are not reintroduced.
In relation to the social insurance fund….had this not been raided to bail out the banks we would have a surplus of over 11 billion in it…. perhaps the banks can pay into the social insurance fund until their debt to the Irish people is paid off
@Ronan Skelly: Or at least the dividend from AIB and any future income from the sale of it’s shares.
Would Martin please explain what the risk is. Is it from ordinary people of Ireland? , Groups who protested outside the homes of Ministers and TDs were swiftly dealt with. The only outside threat to a Minister was from loyalist paramilitaries. Which was glossed over. Had it been from a Republican grouping we would never have heard the end of it. Perhaps it’s the political agenda the government has presuded that now makes them feel they are in danger? . Bad enough they have lost touch with the ordinary people, but now they tell us that it’s the same public that now puts them at risk. Pointing the finger at S.F. and Putin will now be focused on. Sweet Jesus.
They are being well paid, let them hire their security. That’s what Alan Shatter told Bertie.
Gardai should not be driving them around what is wrong with driving themselves or are they all helpless
Welcome to the real world
Perhaps half the cost of the Garda driver could be paid from the minister’s expense account.
Each minister will have at the minimum 2 drivers. 12 hours on and 12 hours off. They will also require spare Garda for when the primary ones are ill or on holidays. It will add up to atleast 3 to 4 per Minister. I also heard that they have also looked at ministerial cars for them as well. What is wrong like zipping around in a nice and economical Ford Fiesta instead of the probable Mercedes or BMW, like in the old days.
I am sure that one can find better use for the 40 odd Garda who will become chauffeurs for possibly somw of the best politicians that money can buy.
@George Vladisavljevic: AM I mistaken in saying not your average Guard either, but armed detectives
@Hi Hello: Probably not detecctives but they would be armed as were the last ones.
One also needs someone in charge of the team as well as someone to do the rostering and other admin duties for such a group. Won’t be as cheap as they say it will be.
Never any accountability. Why would grey bother. Money is not coming out of their pockets.
The cost of this is going to be an extra €3m per year on drivers alone then we have to add in the cost of cars etc.
The civilian drivers who are generally party shills are now claiming they are due severance so they need to be paid off to the end of their contracts. Instead of this happening they are being given jobs in the public sector. Sounds very much like jobs for those connected.
Martin needs to be questioned about where the civilian drivers are going but I won’t hold my breath on a straight answer on that given he’s incapable of answering simple questions.
All politicians should have to use public transport, public healthcare, send their kids to public schools, etc – and pay for their own fares like everyone else. It’s an absolute joke that they’re so insulated and cushioned from the impacts of their own policies on the general public when it comes to public services. This is a no brainer.
@Patrick FitzGerald: well said
@Patrick FitzGerald: They should also only get the minimum wage increase on top of their salaries (80 cent per hour). They shouldn’t get an inflationary increase on the cost of living if the policy decisions they make result in an inflation spike.
Considering the recent murders of MPs in the UK and the Japanese PM, its absolutely correct we follow the Garda Commissioner’s advice and protect our democracy.
@Stephen Kearon: and why is the government not moving to protect citizens from the price gouging of their pals in the private energy sector? Ryan is doing handstands in the Dail at present resisting calls for a cap on outrageous standing charges. Do you think that what is happening with more and more people unable to access basic social goods and utilities is not a bigger threat to our “democracy”?
@Jim O’Sullivan: yawn
@Ciaran: You really do need to get a job Ciaran. Your responses to people with a different opinion are childish.
@Ciaran: That’s a typical response from someone who is to ignorant to give a view or contribute to a debate on whatever side of the fence they are on.
The general public is hard set to get a guard in times of need. Why would they have one ?
The security of the state is being put at risk by draconian decisions being made by ministers more and more out of touch with reality. Will tds and senators need Garda drivers? How about heads of the HSE , Electric Ireland, Bord na gCon? The recent governments have put more and more barriers between themselves and protest and opposition. I would suggest they should move to the kind of dictatorship they so clearly want to live in as democracy doesn’t seem to suit them. Meanwhile Commissioner Drew Harris should read over the report on the Jobstown case and take a moment to understand political policing.
I don’t believe anything he or justice minister says I’m sure a small percentage of what they say is true but I treat it all as lies because the majority of what they tell the average people is lies so I am not risking to believe them about anything so I won’t be disappointed no matter what they say
I never voted for anybody to lie to me, and when they get into the greatest club in Ireland the whips tell them how to vote.What a great little country.
Pity the commissioner was so staunch that a transport police wasn’t needed …. I fully understand the need for ministerial protection it has always been in place it was just stopped for a few years and now its back so be it ….but it just comes across as typical psni policing that he is use 2 ..ya can’t move in the north without bumping into a state care what bullet resistant glass but attacks on the public while on the public transport system is growing rapidly much more than attacks on ministers …so why is he so adamant that it didn’t need a proper policing unit ….its because the commissioner and the minister are only out to impress the government not the people they protect and certainly not the members that service under them
Think of the poor garda that gets Eamon Ryan….he will have to pick that Muppet up each morning on a tandem bike …. the Grinch Ryan will make the garda carry bath bombs for bullets because bullets are probably bad for the environment…poor fxxxer will be shattered come Friday after he takes misses ryan and all the little ryans to organic food store for the weakly shopping
Not the week to say this really,is it?
What risk one of them might get an egg thrown at them
What does it have to be ex Garda?
Nothing explains they are doing such a deplorable job more than this!!
What are they going to do With Sleepy Eamonn Ryan Buy a Bicycle Made for 2 Probably Electric
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