Mr. Martin Callinan:

Technology is advancing at a frightening pace. I am grateful to have what we have and would like to see greater integration. However, this comes at a huge cost. In one of the inspectorate's reports we were asked to examine regional control rooms and, within that paradigm, have vehicle location and ANPR systems joined up. That is happening to a degree, but, because of the space we are in financially, we are not in a position to deliver on it. Issues arise from the management perspective. In a number of regions we have been bringing together control rooms in a division and joining up the dots in terms of resources and how they are responding and using the ANPR and other systems. We will purchase an item of back office equipment for the ANPR system which will help us to deal with the situation when it flashes such as a car being stolen or an untaxed car. We will then have the facility to get the information to someone fast in order that it can be dealt with. That is the space we are trying to get to, but technology is notoriously expensive. We have an ICT strategy group that includes Garda and non-Garda experts to examine the equipment we have and the possibility of joining some of the dots and advising us on the next step. That is a work in progress, but financial resources are not what we would like them to be to improve our lot. We are, however, grateful for what we have.