Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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340. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the annual cost of transporting persons committed to prison for the non-payment of fines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14084/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that persons committed to prison are transported by Garda vehicles as part of their routine duty and not separately accounted for. I am further informed that the annual cost pertaining to the transport of persons committed to prison using Garda personnel and vehicles for the non-payment of fines is not readily available and would require an inordinate amount of administrative resources to obtain this level of detail.

As regards the use of other methods of conveyance of persons detained where deemed operationally expedient by the Commissioner, I am advised that the annual cost of these services for the transport of persons detained for 2014 was €227,873 and to 13th April, 2015 is €80,232.