Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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503. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of van-mounted speed cameras in operation by An Garda Síochána; the number of vehicles decommissioned; the number of new vehicles in place per fleet in each of the years 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19282/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion.

Very significant capital investment is also being made in An Garda Síochána, including investment of €342 million in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021 to enable An Garda Síochána to deliver on reform and deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in delivering professional policing and security services for the community. Investment of €46 million is also being made in the Garda fleet over the same period.

As the Deputy will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. Further, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of his identified operational demands.

The Deputy may be aware that the February 2014 Garda Inspectorate Report "The Fixed Charge Processing System - A 21st Century Strategy" recommended that non-intercept speed detection should be fully outsourced.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that 2 Garda van-mounted speed cameras were in operation in the fleet in 2017. However as noted in the implementation report of the Criminal Justice (Fixed Charge Processing System) Working Group, published in July 2018, the final Garda robot vehicles were deemed end of life at the end of 2017. I am informed that from this point on, non-intercept speed detection was fully outsourced. Therefore, no Garda operated van-mounted speed cameras were in operation in 2018 or 2019.

I am further informed that six Garda van-mounted speed cameras were decommissioned in 2017 and that the two final Garda van-mounted speed cameras were decommissioned in 2018.