Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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818. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Garda Station at Ballinamore County Leitrim does not have the use of a patrol car based at the station following a recent ramming incident; and when a replacement vehicle will be found to assist the gardaí based at Ballinamore. [46800/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and available resources.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda vehicle allocated to Ballinamore Garda Station, which was recently damaged, is currently being repaired and that another vehicle has been allocated to the station as an interim measure.

Overall, I am conscious of the continuing pressures on the Garda fleet and, in that regard, I am very pleased to have secured a further €9m for investment in the fleet, made up of €5m between now and the end of the year and a further €4m in 2014. At this stage, arising from the additional €5m being made available between October and December, the Garda authorities have arranged for the delivery of 305 new vehicles by the end of 2013. These are in addition to the 133 new Garda vehicles already made available during the year.

The most recent investment will bring to €18m the total amount spent on the Garda fleet for the three years 2012 to 2014. This represents a very considerable financial investment in Garda transport, particularly at a time when the level of funding available across the public sector is severely limited. It is a clear indication of my commitment to ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, An Garda Síochána are provided with sufficient resources to enable them to deliver an effective and efficient policing service.