Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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461. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he plans to proactively support community policing forums, including through increased funding, in cities; if he plans to implement changes to improve the efficacy of community policing forums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4752/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, community safety is not a job for An Garda Síochána alone. It is something that requires a multi-agency, multi-sectoral and a whole-of-Government response.

A key principle of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is that community safety requires multi-agency cooperation working in partnership with An Garda Síochána and crucially with communities themselves. The Report recommended the establishment of national and local structures to bring together the relevant departments and State agencies involved in harm prevention to promote community safety.

The objective is to bring the relevant bodies, including the Gardaí, together with communities in a collaborative manner, by focusing on the concerns identified and prioritised by local people, and incorporating these concerns into tailored Local Community Safety Plans with agreed actions to be undertaken by members of the Partnerships to enhance community safety in that area.

The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 provides for the establishment of this national infrastructure, central to which are Local Community Safety Partnerships which will operate at each local authority level. The Partnerships are building upon the good work undertaken through Joint Policing Committees and supplementing this by bringing together a broader range of relevant stakeholders including local councillors, An Garda Síochána, local residents, community representatives, business and education representatives, and a range of statutory agencies including the HSE, Tusla and each local authority. The Partnerships will be supported by permanent staff in local authorities, resourced by the Department of Justice. My Department also provides support to local communities through the Community Safety Fund, funding for which was increased to €4 million this year.

The Act also provides for area-based neighbourhood community safety fora to facilitate a tailored, targeted and time-limited approach where issues of concern are arising in a more localised area.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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462. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the number of vehicles available to An Garda Síochána detailing the type and age of each vehicle and which division it is attached to, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4761/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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464. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the number of vehicles in use by An Garda Síochána that are fully electric; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4763/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 464 together.

">Garda Fleet Details

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes the distribution of resources, including the Garda fleet, across the various Garda Divisions and National/Specialist Units. As Minister, I have no direct role in this matter.

The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources needed to keep people safe. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2.48 billion in Budget 2025. This is allowing for sustained investment in recruitment, equipment, technology, and vehicles.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that at the end of January 2025 there were 3,628 vehicles attached to the Garda fleet, the highest total of vehicles ever in use by An Garda Síochána. This represents an increase of over 16% since the end of December 2020.

I am further informed that 225 of these vehicles are fully electric vehicles which represents over 6% of the overall fleet.

The above table, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number and type of vehicles attached to the Garda fleet by Division at the end of January 2024.

The table below provides a breakdown of the number and type of vehicles attached to the Garda fleet by age at the end of January. I am advised that vehicle age is calculated from date of commission.

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that An Garda Síochána publishes information on the Garda fleet, including a Divisional/District monthly breakdown, on their website at:

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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463. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the procurement process of vehicles for An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4762/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda resources. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

Garda vehicles are purchased under contracts tendered by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). I am advised by the Garda authorities that the final number of vehicles to be purchased in 2025 is not yet determined. I am also advised that the purchase and allocation of vehicles by An Garda Síochána is made on the basis of identified operational demands, the availability of resources, and is reviewed on a continual basis.

The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources needed to keep people safe. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2.48 billion in Budget 2025. This is allowing for sustained investment in recruitment, equipment, technology, and vehicles.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that, at the end of January 2025, there were 3,628 vehicles attached to the Garda fleet, the highest total of vehicles ever in use by An Garda Síochána. This represents an increase of over 16% since the end of December 2020.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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466. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí who are assigned to Cork Garda stations but are expected to cover the region. [4789/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

While the Garda Commissioner is operationally responsible for the allocation of Garda resources, I look forward to engaging regularly with him to ensure our Gardaí have the resources they need. I am informed that when allocating and transferring Garda members to and from any Division, consideration is given to commitments and undertakings outlined in the Annual Policing Plan and priorities as determined in delivering ‘A Policing Service for The Future’.

I understand that the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide are also taken into account, which include:

• Local and national crime trends and workloads;
• Policing arrangements and operational strategies;
• Minimum establishment statistics;
• Local population and trends, geographical area and size;
• Transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns.