Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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332. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the information technology budget allocated to An Garda Síochána in 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44245/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for controlling the general management and administration of the Service within the context of agreed annual policing plans. This includes the procurement and maintenance of various technologies utilised to manage the Service, and support front-line Gardaí and intelligence-led operations against organised crime.

In that context, the total amount allocated to ICT Subheads in the 2015 Garda Vote was €65.7m. A further €7m was allocated recently to allow work to commence on 3 new phases of the Major Investigations System this year and to meet other additional hardware requirements. Under the Government Capital Plan 2016-2021, an additional €205m has been provided towards a major investment programme in new technology and systems for An Garda Síochána. In addition, I secured additional capital funding of €4m for 2016 to allow Ireland to participate in the Schengen Information System (SIS II), a centralised secure database used by European countries for maintaining information (alerts) related to border security and law enforcement. In light of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, I am determined to press ahead with the necessary steps to allow Ireland to participate fully in the Schengen Information System (SIS II) as quickly as possible. This will bring the total capital expenditure on the Garda ICT over the lifetime of the Plan to in excess of €330m which will allow An Garda Síochána to deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in the fight against crime.