Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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394. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which rapid response mobile Garda Síochána units are available to combat the activities of criminal gangs, with reference to both urban and rural areas; the desirable response time in such situations; the extent to which this continues to be achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36632/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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This Government has been determined to ensure that An Garda Síochána has the resources to deliver highly-mobile and responsive Garda patrols in both rural and urban communities. Since 2012, we have invested almost €29 million in renewing the Garda fleet to support front line Garda responses. So far this year 370 new vehicles have come on stream including new specialised vehicles. Today I announced the allocation of a further €5.3m to An Garda Síochána for the purchase of a further 260 vehicles between now and the end of the year. This new investment will provide the Gardaí with additional high powered vehicles, marked and unmarked patrol cars, cars for surveillance and covert operations, motor cycles for high visibility road policing and vehicles for public order policing. This investment in a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose Garda fleet will continue under the Government’s Capital Plan 2016-2021 which provides an additional €46 million for new Garda vehicles over the life time of the Plan. The increased budget allocation for 2016 will also facilitate additional funding for Garda surveillance, special operations and targeted, intelligence-led policing.

This substantial level of investment will be accompanied by the continued renewal of Garda personnel with 600 new Garda to be recruited next year on top of the 550 to be recruited by the end of this year. The totality of this investment will ensure that Gardaí have the necessary tools and manpower to tackle the scourge of highly-mobile criminal gangs and to disrupt crime, particularly burglaries, across both rural and urban communities.

I have asked the Garda authorities for the specific information requested and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as I have this information to hand.