Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I understand the capital funding for Garda stations, fortunately, comes from the OPW. If I am wrong in that I will notify the Deputy in writing of the correction. It is my understanding that there are some plans within the OPW, in accordance with the limited financial envelope available to it, to progress the project to which the Deputy referred. However, whether it will progress in 2012 or perhaps go through a planning change I do not know. I will inquire into it further for the Deputy.

Regarding the information technology underspend to which Deputy Calleary referred, some of this can simply be due to timing. We dealt largely with current expenditure today, including maintenance issues and so on, whereas the putting in place of new software systems for the implementation of the provisions of the Fines Act is a capital project. Unfortunately, the Estimates produced by the previous Government in December 2010 did not include an allocation for funding for the new software. We now have that funding for next year and I will ensure it is secured in order to allow us to develop the system. That is why it is part of the programme to which I referred.

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