Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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342. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if funding will be provided to purchase replacement Garda prison trucks; the number of Garda prison trucks withdrawn in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37825/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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There has been very significant investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years. The Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet, to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet. This is in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015. Indeed from 2013 to 2017 almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream in that period to ensure that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.

As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles across the various Garda divisions are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no role in that matter.

I am however informed that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure their optimum use. The responsibility for the efficient deployment of all official Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between districts and stations in light of operational requirements.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that €4.7m was made available for the purchase of vehicles in 2018 and that this budget is fully committed.

The following tables set out the current number of vehicles assigned to Prisoner/Courts duty, as well as the vehicles withdrawn in the time period identified by the Deputy.

Garda Fleet on Prisoner/Courts Duty as at 14 September 2018:

Vehicles withdrawn for the period in question is outlined as follows: