Response by Minister of State Alex White, TD on behalf of the Minister for
Justice, Equality and Defence Alan Shatter, TD
The Minister has asked me to thank the Deputy for raising this matter.
Decisions in relation to the provision and deployment of Garda transport
are matters for the Garda Commissioner. Such decisions are based on the
Commissioner’s identified operational requirements and the availability of
resources.
At Garda Divisional level, it is for the Chief Superintendent to make
appropriate arrangements for the distribution of vehicles throughout the
Division in response to policing demands. The Deputy will appreciate that a
degree of flexibility in allocating and re-allocating vehicles among
stations, so as to best match the allocation of resources with policing
priorities, is crucial to the efficient management of the Garda fleet.
The Minister has been advised by the Garda authorities that the deployment
of Garda transport is determined on the basis of on-going analysis and
review of the policing needs of each Division, to ensure that resources are
utilised to optimum advantage to meet the operational demands upon the
Force. Garda patrol vehicles are taken out of service for a variety of
reasons, including as a result of accidents or when the odometer reading
reaches the safety limit set by the relevant manufacturer. In that regard
the safety of Garda personnel and the public is a priority for the Garda
authorities.
The Minister has also been informed that at present there are 111 Garda
vehicles attached to the Dublin Metropolitan West Division, of which 23 are
allocated to the Clondalkin Garda District.
With specific regard to the issues raised by the Deputy, the Minister has
been informed by the Garda authorities that the current allocation of
vehicles provided for the Clondalkin District makes the best use of the
available resources. In addition, they have indicated that a comprehensive
policing service is being delivered within the District and to the
communities it serves.
The Minister is, of course, aware of the demands which are placed on the
Garda fleet and in that context, he made an additional €3 million available
to An Garda Síochána towards the end of last year enabling the Commissioner
to procure a further 171 Garda vehicles. This brought total investment in
the fleet in 2012 to €4 million and resulted in a total of 213 new vehicles
being procured during the year. The roll out of the most recently
purchased transport is on-going and the Deputy can be assured that the
vehicles will be deployed as effectively as possible, in line with
operational circumstances, including the policing needs of the Clondalkin
District.
In addition, a further allocation of €5 million has been provided for the
purchase and fit-out of Garda transport in 2013. This represents a very
considerable financial investment in Garda transport, particularly at a
time when the level of funding available across the public sector is
severely limited. It is a clear indication of the Minister’s commitment to
ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, An Garda Síochána are
provided with the appropriate resources to enable them to provide an
effective and efficient policing service.