Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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276. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of marked and unmarked Garda jeeps that came into the fleet in 2017 and to date in 2018; and the number withdrawn during the same period. [39739/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that 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, in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015. In total in the period 2013 to the end of 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 Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter.

I understand that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources. 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 as required by operational requirements.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following tables outline the number of marked and unmarked 4x4s that came into the Garda fleet in 2017 and to date in 2018 and the number withdrawn during the same period.

4x4s allocated to the Garda fleet 2017 and 2018 (to date)

4x4s withdrawn from the Garda fleet 2017 and 2018 (to date)

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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277. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of four-wheel drive vehicles available for use in each Garda district in Dublin as of 21 September 2018. [39740/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that 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, in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 - 2015. In total in the period 2013 - 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 Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter.

I understand however 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. 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 as required by operational requirements.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table outlines the number of four wheel drive vehicles, including cars and 4x4s, available for use by Division in the Dublin Metropolitan Region as at 27 September 2018. The allocation of vehicles within a Division is a matter for the Divisional Officer.