Having a fair but firmer migration and criminal justice system

Fine Gael is the party of law and order. We are the party that founded An Garda Síochána, that founded the Criminal Assets Bureau. We are the party that will ensure your family, your community, and our country is secure from crime and external threats.

Migration is a good thing for Ireland. Thousands of people come to Ireland to work and to fill essential skills deficits. However, we know we need a firmer system, with stronger border security, faster processing of international protection (IP) applications and stricter measures to return unsuccessful IP applicants.

We are conscious that communities want to play their part but the system to date has not been good enough, placing pressure on communities around the country.

What We Will Do

Fine Gael will prioritise investment in the men and women of An Garda Síochána protecting them on the beat. We will change how we recruit and train our Gardaí, speed up the criminal justice process, put in place stronger laws and add new prison places.

Across the country, communities are dealing with the scourge of anti-social behaviour. We will invest strongly in preventive measures, including in youth justice programmes, while strengthening our laws.

Tackling the epidemic of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will remain a number one priority for Fine Gael. We will invest in new refuge spaces, update the school curriculum, roll-out training and make the criminal justice system more victim centred, in particular our Courts system.

We will continue to improve our migration system by hiring more staff, expanding accelerated processing, increased resources for the Gardaí, a more managed accommodation strategy and better community engagement.

Building on Our Progress

Fine Gael reopened the Garda Training College at Templemore, and have built momentum in Garda recruitment, delivering essential frontline protection to communities nationwide. Our commitment to Garda resources has resulted in record investment, with a budget allocation of €2.48 billion, marking a 27% increase since 2020.

We have also prioritised Garda support through increased trainee allowances, nearly doubling them from €184 to €354, and boosted overtime funding to €150 million, up by over a third since 2019.

Our Zero Tolerance approach to Domestic, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV), launched in 2022, led to the establishment of Cuan, Ireland’s DSGBV agency, in 2024, and has trebled funding for victim support and preventive measures. Coco’s Law criminalises the distribution of intimate images without consent, and recent legislation has introduced standalone offences for stalking and non-fatal strangulation to protect vulnerable citizens.

We have significantly toughened our immigration system. Our safe country list has expanded, staffing at the International Protection Office will almost treble from 2022 levels, and decisions processed will almost double from 14,000 in 2024 to over 25,000 by 2026.

Having a fair but firmer migration and criminal justice system

Fine Gael is the party of law and order. We are the party that founded An Garda Síochána, that founded the Criminal Assets Bureau. We are the party that will ensure your family, your community, and our country is secure from crime and external threats.

What We Will Do

Building on Our Progress

Giving our children the best start in life

Delivering homes and building better communities

Protecting the economy and investing in your future