Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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216. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda vehicles provided to each Garda division over the past three years to date; the type of vehicle; the quantity to each division, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8328/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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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.

The attached tables, which were provided to me by the Garda authorities, set out the number and type of new vehicles allocated to the Garda fleet in 2022 up to end 2024, and at the end of January 2025:

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I am further informed 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.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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217. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Gardaí appointed to each Garda division over the past five years, including the stations that they were appointed to within each division, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8329/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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My first priority is to get more Gardaí on our streets through increased recruitment. The Programme for Government commits to recruiting at least 5,000 Gardai in the coming five years. A new recruitment process commenced this month which will see a new intake of Garda recruits starting in the Garda Training College in Templemore in the coming months.

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 am 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.

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.

Since the reopening of the Garda college in September 2014 a total of 4,993 Garda members have attested and have been assigned to Garda stations nationwide. This includes the 599 Garda members who attested in 2024.

In the interest of transparency, information in relation to the allocation of Probationer Gardaí by Division and station is publicly available and can be found at the following link.

www.gov.ie/en/publication/7c2e6-probationer-gardai/

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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218. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of over-time paid in each Garda division over the past three years; the percentage of this over-time given to court duties per division, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8330/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Commissioner is responsible, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), for the management and administration of Garda business. This includes all internal HR matters, the setting of overtime budgets for each Garda Division/national unit, and the recording of overtime data. As Minister I have no role in these independent functions.

For the Deputy's information, information on overtime payments dating back to 2012 to Garda members and Garda Staff is published on the Garda website at the following link:

www.garda.ie/en/information-centre/freedom-of-information/publication-scheme/budgets-and-spending/overtime-reports.html

A previous analysis of overtime activity by An Garda Síochána indicated that approximately 14% of the overtime budget was spent on courts related work.