Written answers

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Garda Equipment

9:00 pm

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 455: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason after approval for funding was given by the Government four years ago to provide a digital telecommunications system for Gardaí, it is not available to all members of the force; when this will be so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18496/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Following completion of a pilot Digital Radio project, An Garda Síochána submitted a detailed business case for a national system to my Department in January, 2004. The case outlined various implementation options and costings. Following discussions between officials of my Department, An Garda Síochána and the Department of Finance, it was decided to adopt an "outsourced service provision model" and also to procure a system capable of being used by the other emergency services and non-commercial State bodies. This enables economies of scale as well as allowing for inter-agency communication in the event of major incidents or cross agency operations. Accordingly, an inter-agency procurement group chaired by the Department of Finance was established at the end of 2004 to take the project forward. Following preparation of detailed specification of requirements, a Restricted EU tender procedure was launched on 4th January last. The first phase has been completed and it is planned to issue detailed tender documents to the selected suppliers in the next few weeks and to commence implementation later this year, including full national coverage in 24 months. This is a major infrastructure project and I am advised that similar systems already installed or being installed in other EU countries have taken 4-5 years to complete.

The Garda Information Services Centre has been set-up in Castlebar and as a result mobile telephones are made available to Gardaí to report incidents to the centre for entry onto the Pulse system. These phones also enable communications with the local station. The facility is already in place in the South and South Eastern Garda Regions and will be extended nationwide over the course of this year. While this system is not a replacement for a digital radio system, it does provide members with certain mobile communications facilities.

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