Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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552. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will make the necessary resources available for a Garda car for Kinnegad Garda station; if he will confirm that there will be no reduction in staffing levels in this station due to forthcoming retirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9618/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the allocation of all resources in An Garda Síochana, including vehicles and personnel, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his senior management team in the light of identified operational demands.

Garda management closely monitors the operational strategies in place on a District, Divisional and Regional level to ensure that the optimum use is made of available resources and that the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.

Kinnegad Garda Station forms part of the Mullingar Garda District and I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of Kinnegad Garda Station and Mullingar Garda District, on the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 4 and 160 respectively. The District is also supported by 16 Garda Reserves and 14 civilian staff.

Responsibility for the efficient deployment of official Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between stations, as required by operational circumstances. 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 essential to the efficient management of the Garda fleet.

I am, of course, conscious of the importance of the Garda fleet and, in that regard, the Deputy will be aware that I recently secured a further €9m for investment in the fleet. This investment resulted in the purchase of 305 new Garda vehicles towards the end of 2013, at a cost of €5 million. These were in addition to the 133 new Garda vehicles which had already been procured during the year. The remaining €4 million has been made available for the purchase and fit out of Garda vehicles in 2014.

I understand that specific details in relation to the deployment of the new Garda transport have yet to be fully finalised but the Deputy can be assured that the vehicles will be allocated as effectively as possible in line with operational circumstances, including the requirements of area referred to by the Deputy.