Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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173. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the details of the capital funding of €6 million which was allocated in 2017 to enhance the Garda fleet of vehicles by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40891/18]

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 - 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream 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 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 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 details the Garda vehicles allocated by Division or Unit during 2017. I am informed that it is not in all cases possible to identify what county these vehicles were allocated to, as some Divisions incorporate two counties and vehicles are distributed within a Division based on operational requirements.

It is important to note that this table refers to vehicles allocated. The Garda authorities indicate that these allocations may include vehicles which were purchased in 2016, but in relation to which the technical fit-out process was not completed until 2017. Similarly, this table would not include any vehicles purchased in 2017 which were not allocated until 2018 because the technical fit-out process for the vehicles were not completed until that point.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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174. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of marked and unmarked Garda cars and vans in the Dublin region that have been scrapped to date in 2018 due to fact that they exceeded 300,000 km mileage and-or exceeded ten years of age. [40925/18]

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 - 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream 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 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 vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between districts and stations as required by operational requirements.

I understand that An Garda Síochána operate a comprehensive service repair and maintenance programme to ensure that all vehicles in the fleet are operating to manufacturers specifications. All vehicles are operated up to the manufacturers durability limits (which range between 300,000 to 500,000km depending on vehicle type) or uneconomic repair irrespective of age.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table outlines the cars and vans which have been removed from the Garda fleet in the Dublin Metropolitan Region between January and September 2018.