Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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270. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to support the budget allocation for the Garda Síochána air support unit in the years 2013 to 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4278/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of available Garda resources including personnel, the fleet and the various technologies utilised to support front-line Gardaí and intelligence-led operations against crime. This process takes account of annual policing priorities determined by the Garda Commissioner in conjunction with the newly established Policing Authority, in the context of annual policing plans, as provided for in section 20 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the budget allocation (including supplementary provisions) for the subhead of the Garda vote which covers capital and current expenditure on Garda Air Support Unit over the period 2013 to 2016 is set out in the table below. The Deputy may wish to note that the significantly higher allocation for 2015 is due to the additional €1.8 million in capital funding that I secured for the replacement and upgrade of equipment on the Defender fixed wing aircraft.