Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if a permanent Garda vehicle will be restored to a Garda station (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55756/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Decisions in relation to the provision and deployment of Garda vehicles are a matter, in the first instance, for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational requirements. At Garda Divisional level, it is for the Chief Superintendent to make appropriate arrangements for the distribution of vehicles throughout the Division in response to policing demands. The Deputy will appreciate that a degree of flexibility in allocating and re-allocating vehicles among stations, so as to best match the allocation of resources with policing priorities, is crucial to the efficient management of the Garda fleet.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the detailed allocation of vehicles is determined through a process of ongoing analysis of operational requirements. In addition, they have informed me that the current policing arrangements for the area served by the relevant station, and indeed for the Cavan/Monaghan Division, are making the best use of available resources. Moreover the Garda authorities have indicated that the needs of the area will continue to be examined as additional resources become available.

In that context, the Deputy will be aware that 170 new Garda vehicles have recently been ordered on foot of an investment of €3 million. These vehicles are due to begin coming on stream in the coming weeks. In addition, a further €5 million is being made available for the purchase and fit-out of new Garda vehicles in 2013. This level of expenditure, at a time of severe budgetary constraint, represents a very significant investment in Garda transport and I have no doubt that the additional funding will considerably strengthen the overall effectiveness of the Force in delivering a policing service to communities throughout the country.