Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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193. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount that has been spent on Garda vehicles during 2016; the anticipated spend in this area for the full year 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26366/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will recall, towards the end of 2015 I secured some €6.5 million in additional funding for the purchase of Garda vehicles to be delivered in 2016. Taken with the sum allocated under the Government's Capital plan in 2016 for vehicles (almost €6 million), over 500 vehicles have come on stream in 2016 at a cost of some €12.5 million. The situation with regard to the Garda fleet is kept under review.

Since 2012, some €40 million has been invested in the Garda fleet. This significant investment provides the Gardaí with additional high-powered vehicles, marked and unmarked patrol cars, and motorcycles for high-visibility road policing. Investment in a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose Garda fleet will continue over the lifetime of the Government’s Capital Plan 2016-2021 which provides €46 million for new Garda vehicles, to ensure that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.