The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended that An Garda Síochána provide a clearer breakdown of its expenditure.
In a report published today, TDs on the committee express concern that public resources may be subsidising private events, such as sporting fixtures and concerts, due to undercharging by gardaí for policing such events.
At present, gardaí recoup money from private event organisers at €45 per hour for every member deployed; but the report concludes how this system fails to reflect the actual cost incurred in many cases of policing commercial events.
"Because overtime, allowances, and higher-rank pay are not included, the flat rate often underestimates the true cost of policing large events," the report concludes.
In 2023, gardaí earned €7 million for non-public duty policing, but in other years didn't collect some monies owed by private operators for policing.
In one case gardaí undercharged an event organsier by almost €67,000.
'Charity event'
In another case, a charge was waived on the basis the event was treated as a 'charity event', even though the organsier was not a registered charity and had charged an entry fee.
This raised doubts, the report states, on the justification for the waiver and signalled "that public funds may have subsidised a private commercial event".
Speaking at the launch of the report, PAC Chairman Sinn Féin TD John Brady, said the current €45 flat rate was "excessively low", and called for it to be reviewed
Fine Gael Kildare North TD Joe Neville, rejected suggestions ticket prices could increase for concerts, matches and festivals should gardaí charge organisers more for their time.
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'Jaw dropping'
The report also raised concerns about the high value of cash stored on the Garda Estate, noting how "it presents excessive risk".
Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North West Paul McAuliffe, said it was "jaw dropping" that €40 million was currently held as evidence pending the outcome of criminal proceedings, adding how there should be central oversight of all cash held as evidence.
It said that such oversight should include regular monitoring and reporting in order to mitigate risks.
The report recommends that An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice examine the feasibility of lodging seized cash into secure, interest-bearing accounts, similar to the arrangements operated by the Revenue Commissioners.
Any move to implement this change must ensure that the evidential integrity is preserved and that it complies with the court's requirements, the report finds.
€15 million underspend in capital funding
The Committee also raised issue with evidence of victim dissatisfaction with initial Garda engagement in domestic, sexual and gender-based violence cases as well as the lack of members of An Garda Síochána in Gaeltacht areas who have the ability to work through Irish.
TDs also believe more should be done to meet Garda recruitment targets.
Labour TD for Cork East Eoghan Kenny, said he was unhappy with a €15 million underspend in capital funding by gardaí in 2023, adding that the money should not have been handed back to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
He cited an example of a Garda station in his base of Mallow, which had been seeking a new heating system for 6 years, "but the problem was fixed within 6 weeks of me raising it in the Dáil".
The Committee has given An Garda Síochána nine months to come back with an update on actions taken to address this issue.
The new Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly is expected to address the Committee before the Dáil's Summer recess or if not, early in the autumn.
