Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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553. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated full-year cost of providing front-line Garda vehicles with GPS. [25701/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for provision and allocation of Garda resources including equipment and, as Minister, I have no direct role in relation to these matters.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that GPS does not form part of the specified requirements for technical fit-out of all Garda vehicles. In the absence of a tendering process, it is currently not possible to provide an estimated cost for such a project.

Nonetheless, it is understood that a significant number of Garda vehicles operating nationwide are fitted with TETRA radios and the majority of those vehicles therefore have a GPS facility.

I am further informed that the standard issue TETRA radio hand-held devices issued to members include a GPS facility. The secure TETRA digital radio system allows any relevant details (including for example incident details, location directions if required and any other relevant operational information) to be provided by the relevant Garda Control Room to Garda members as required.