David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of money expended to date in 2009 for the purchase and usage of decibel counters by An Garda Síochána to monitor the level of noise emitted from motor vehicles; if a pilot project is in operation and the details of same; his plans to ensure that decibel counters for vehicle noise pollution are available to An Garda Síochána nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40364/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that following a review of suitable equipment available in the market, testing of a range of sound level meters was carried out in the Laois/Offaly Division earlier this year with a view to establishing their benefits as an aid to enforcement and the successful prosecution of motorists driving vehicles with excessively noisy exhausts.

Following on from this, a request for tender for the supply (including maintenance and training) of sound level meters was published in July of this year and the Garda authorities are now in the latter stages of the evaluation of tender responses. It is envisaged that following selection of the preferred supplier, sufficient numbers of devices will be purchased to ensure availability within each Garda Division. As the procurement process is still ongoing, there has been no financial outlay on the purchase of such equipment to date this year.