Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Justice and Equality has asked me to thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Decisions on the provision and deployment of Garda transport are principally matters for the Garda Commissioner. Such decisions are based on the Commissioner’s identified operational requirements and the availability of resources.

At Garda divisional level, it is for the chief superintendent to make appropriate arrangements for the distribution of vehicles throughout the division in response to policing demands. The Deputy will appreciate that a degree of flexibility in allocating and re-allocating vehicles among stations, so as to best match the allocation of resources with policing priorities, is crucial to the efficient management of the Garda fleet.

The Minister has been advised by the Garda authorities that the deployment of Garda transport is determined on the basis of ongoing analysis and review of the policing needs of each division to ensure resources are utilised to optimum advantage to meet the operational demands on the force. Garda patrol vehicles are taken out of service for a variety of reasons, including as a result of accidents or where the odometer reading reaches the safety limit set by the relevant manufacturer. In that regard, the safety of Garda personnel and members of the public is a priority for the Garda authorities.

The Minister has also been informed that there are 111 Garda vehicles attached to the Dublin metropolitan west division, of which 23 are allocated to the Clondalkin Garda district.

With specific regard to the issues raised by the Deputy, the Minister has been informed by the Garda authorities that the current allocation of vehicles provided for the Clondalkin district makes the best use of the available resources. In addition, they have indicated that a comprehensive policing service is being delivered within the district and to the communities it serves.

To provide some of the information sought by the Deputy, the Minister is aware of the demands placed on the Garda fleet. In this context, he made an additional €3 million available the Garda towards the end of last year to enable the Garda Commissioner to procure a further 171 vehicles. This brought total investment in the fleet in 2012 to €4 million and resulted in a total of 213 new vehicles being procured during the year. The introduction of the most recently purchased transports is ongoing and the Deputy can be assured that the vehicles will be deployed as effectively as possible, in line with operational circumstances, including the policing needs of the Clondalkin district.

In addition, a further allocation of €5 million has been provided for the purchase and outfitting of Garda transport in 2013. This represents a considerable financial investment in Garda transport, particularly at a time when the level of funding available across the public sector is severely limited. It is a clear indication of the Minister's commitment to ensuring that, to the greatest extent possible, the Garda is supplied with the appropriate resources to enable it to provide an effective and efficient policing service.

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