Written answers
Wednesday, 22 July 2020
Department of Justice and Equality
Garda Transport Provision
Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of Garda vehicle resources in the Dublin metropolitan region, DMR, over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17565/20]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, it is the function of the Garda Commissioner to manage and control the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. The Commissioner's functions include the allocation of Garda resources is in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles among the various Garda divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I am assured, 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.
To assist the Deputy, the Garda authorities have provided me with the attached spreadsheet which sets out the detail of the vehicles allocated to the DMR for the dates requested.
Vehicles assigned to the DMR 2015- June 30 2020
| At 30 June 2020 | Cars | Vans | Motorcycles | 4 x 4 | *Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMR EAST | 56 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 69 |
| DMR NORTH | 87 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 102 |
| DMR NORTH CENTRAL | 54 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 70 |
| DMR SOUTH CENTRAL | 56 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 71 |
| DMR SOUTH | 64 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 83 |
| DMR TRAFFIC | 21 | 2 | 49 | 3 | 0 | 75 |
| DMR WEST | 76 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 97 |
| TOTAL | 414 | 82 | 49 | 10 | 12 | 567 |
| 2019 | Cars | Vans | Motorcycles | 4 x 4 | *Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMR EAST | 50 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 62 |
| DMR NORTH | 78 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 92 |
| DMR NORTH CENTRAL | 47 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 62 |
| DMR SOUTH CENTRAL | 52 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 66 |
| DMR SOUTH | 60 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 78 |
| DMR TRAFFIC | 20 | 2 | 44 | 3 | 0 | 69 |
| DMR WEST | 70 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 90 |
| TOTAL | 377 | 78 | 44 | 10 | 10 | 519 |
| 2018 | Cars | Vans | Motorcycles | 4x4 | *Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMR EAST | 41 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 56 |
| DMR NORTH | 79 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 110 |
| DMR NORTH CENTRAL | 47 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 69 |
| DMR SOUTH | 57 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 77 |
| DMR SOUTH CENTRAL | 44 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 62 |
| DMR TRAFFIC | 17 | 2 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 55 |
| DMR WEST | 59 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 82 |
| Total | 344 | 93 | 42 | 11 | 21 | 511 |
| 2017 | Cars | Vans | Motorcycles | 4x4 | *Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMR EAST | 43 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 58 |
| DMR NORTH | 83 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 115 |
| DMR NORTH CENTRAL | 54 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 74 |
| DMR SOUTH | 66 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 86 |
| DMR SOUTH CENTRAL | 46 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 66 |
| DMR TRAFFIC | 17 | 2 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 54 |
| DMR WEST | 78 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 105 |
| Total | 387 | 100 | 44 | 10 | 17 | 558 |
| 2016 | Cars | Vans | Motorcycles | 4x4 | *Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMR EAST | 40 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 58 |
| DMR NORTH | 86 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 127 |
| DMR NORTH CENTRAL | 54 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 72 |
| DMR SOUTH | 66 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 87 |
| DMR SOUTH CENTRAL | 45 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 65 |
| DMR TRAFFIC | 17 | 4 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 56 |
| DMR WEST | 92 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 123 |
| Total | 400 | 109 | 45 | 14 | 20 | 588 |
| 2015 | Cars | Vans | Motorcycles | 4x4 | *Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMR EAST | 39 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 53 |
| DMR NORTH | 88 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 122 |
| DMR NORTH CENTRAL | 52 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 74 |
| DMR SOUTH | 72 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 91 |
| DMR SOUTH CENTRAL | 46 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 62 |
| DMR TRAFFIC | 19 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 38 |
| DMR WEST | 90 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 114 |
| Total | 406 | 92 | 25 | 15 | 16 | 554 |
*The category 'Others' refers to MPV, SUV, Minibus or Prisoner Conveyance Vehicles
It should be noted that these details relate to the size of Garda fleet in the DMR on the dates requested by the Deputy only; and do not take account of the more than 200 additional community support vehicles recently hired by An Garda Síochána as part of its nationwide response to Covid-19.
Finally, and more broadly, the Deputy may be interested to know that significant capital investment is being made in An Garda Síochána, including a total of €46 million specifically for the Garda fleet between 2016 and 2021. This continuing investment is intended to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet and that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime. Of this investment, a total of €9 million was made available for purchase and fit-out of additional Garda vehicles in 2020. In order to protect the ongoing availability of vehicles and in anticipation of impacts of public health restrictions on motor factory or fit-out workplaces, 94 additional vehicles were purchased by the Garda authorities in March 2020 at a cost of €2.4m. The fit-out cost of these vehicles was €600,000. The allocation of these and all other vehicles in the fleet is entirely a matter for the Commissioner and his management team.
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