Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In so far as the Deputy is alleging that there will be any diminution of Garda services, I must inform him that this has not been the case in the context of the closures that have occurred to date. There will instead be an enhanced service on offer as a result of the fact that members of the force will be available to communities.

Unlike my predecessor, I have made resources available. This year, for example, I spent €4 million on the purchase of 213 new vehicles in order to upgrade the Garda fleet. Some €5 million has been allocated to me for 2013 and this will allow for the purchase of a substantial number of additional vehicles.

It was perfectly appropriate and correct that the announcements to which the Deputy refers were made on budget day, the day on which the Estimates relating to the Department of Justice and Equality were published.

On that day we were having regard to the resources available in each Department under the terms of the Estimates and how the Department of Justice and Equality - which will have €62 million less in 2013 than in 2012 - along with the Garda Síochána, was to ensure that resources were wisely used.

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