Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans for the upgrading of the Garda Technical Bureau; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27343/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed planning and allocation of Garda resources in accordance with his operational requirements. The total strength of the Garda Technical Bureau at 30 September 2007, the latest date for which figures are readily available, is 88. As part of the major investment in An Garda Síochána a new Automated Ballistics Identification system will be provided for the Bureau and the Automated Fingerprint Identification system is being replaced and upgraded.

The Garda Commissioner has recently established a working group to look at the relocation of the Garda Technical Bureau to a new site at Kilsallaghan, Co. Dublin where it would be co-located with the civilian-led Forensic Science Laboratory, both of which work in very close partnership with one another.