Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason 60 traffic corps vehicles have been withdrawn from the Garda traffic corps; if he is concerned that road casualty rates are rising again this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31102/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The provision and allocation of Garda vehicles is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the context of his identified policing requirements.

I understand from the Garda authorities that Garda vehicles are retired for a variety of reasons, including where vehicles are considered beyond economic repair, as a result of accidents and, on safety grounds, where patrol vehicles have reached an odometer reading of 300,000 kilometres.

In so far as road traffic policing is concerned, the Deputy will be aware that whilst certain Garda vehicles may be designated as Traffic Corps vehicles, all Garda vehicles are tasked with performing the full range of policing duties, including traffic policing. In addition, the deployment of Garda vehicles is monitored and reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the optimum use is made of available resources.

I share the concern of the Deputy in relation to road deaths and currently the position is that the number of fatalities to date in 2012 is close to the number of fatalities at the same stage last year. In this context the Deputy will recall that in 2011 the final figure for road deaths represented a decrease of over 12% on 2010 and of almost 22% on 2009.

In the Garda Policing Plan for 2012 I determined that the continued reduction of deaths and serious injuries on our roads would be one of the key priorities for An Garda Síochána in the current year. In the light of that determination, the Garda Commissioner has committed the Force to making the roads safer and improving the behaviour of all road users. This is a process which involves the deployment of extensive resources on a continuous basis, in conjunction with the operation of a wide range of strategies. In addition, the Garda actions are supplemented by safety cameras with the overall objective of securing improved road-user compliance.