Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 130: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the full extent of the technology currently available to the Gardaí is adequate to meet the scale of requirements in the fight against crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13367/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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With the huge increase in Garda resources facilitated by this Government, I am satisfied that it has enabled a major investment by the Force in technology to meet the challenges of modern society.

This year an unprecedented level of resources is being invested in technology for the Gardaí to assist them in the exercise of all their functions. The capital allocation for Information Technology and Communications alone for 2007 amounts to €44 million. This coupled with the significant level of funding already invested in technology over the past number of years enabled a large number of important initiatives in the area of IT and telecommunications to be undertaken.

An Garda Síochána have set-out their targets in the fight against crime in their Corporate Strategy and Annual Policing Plan for 2007. In the area of technology this is underpinned by their Information and Communications Technology Plan. Implementation of a number of major systems identified in the plan is already well underway. Chief among these is the provision of a new National Digital Radio Service which will provide the force with not only secure radio communications but also access to mobile data such as photographs etc. Other projects currently underway include a Major Incidents System which will involve the capture of all incident information, exhibit tracking as well as supporting incident room management. A new Automated Number Plate recognition system (ANPR) is also being developed. Other systems under development include a new Automated Fingerprint Information System (AFIS), an automated Ballistics Identification System (ABIS) and Financial Management Systems as well as significant investment in the continued support and maintenance of existing systems.

The above mentioned investment is just one element of the Government's overall commitment to An Garda Síochána including increasing the strength of the Force to 15,000, a major programme of civilianisation and an increase in the overall Garda budget to over €1.4 billion in 2007. This unprecedented investment in resources by this Government provides a firm platform to take on the challenges of policing in a modern diverse society.