Catherine Murphy
Question:388. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the transport budget allocation to the Irish Prison Service in the years of 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [44833/23]
View answerTuesday, 17 October 2023
Questions (388)
Written answers
The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) operates the Prison Service Escort Corp for the purpose of transporting people in the custody of the IPS who may be transferred between institutions, transported to and from court or to and from hospital. The Irish Prison Service fleet ranges from passenger vehicles to multi-occupancy cellular size vehicles.
I have been advised that the Irish Prison Service also maintains a range of small, medium and large commercial vehicles including refrigerated vehicles which cater for a wide range of uses, including use by Trades Officers for works within the prison grounds and for the movement of goods to supply Prison Stores.
Further, I am advised that the Irish Prison Service continuously review and examine the condition of the transport fleet across the Prison Estate to ensure vehicles are road worthy and safe for all users.
I can advise the Deputy that to date in 2023, the Irish Prison Service has a total fleet size of 289 vehicles ranging in registration from 1997 to 2023. I can further advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service purchased 36 of these vehicles in 2023 and that 33 of these were purchased for conversion to cellular transport. Fifteen of these vehicles were battery electric vehicles replacing older vehicles (15 years old +) and 3 were mild hybrid vehicles, purchased to support normal day-to-day operations in the prison environment, and to assist in the offset of the Irish Prison Services carbon footprint.
The overall cost of maintaining and servicing the Irish Prison Service fleet fluctuates due to the age and the unique specifications required within the fleet. It is also the case that fuel usage and costs have been fluctuating since March 2020, most notably from March 2022 due to the increased costs primarily attributed to the war in Ukraine. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic separate escort vehicles were required in order to meet COVID-19 infection control guidelines when transporting prisoners which incurred additional costs.
Furthermore, as a COVID-19 collegiate response measure, the Irish Prison Service undertook an increased number of escorts for single remand cases on behalf of An Garda Síochána and this practice has continued. This has resulted in more single prisoner escorts being conducted by the Irish Prison Service to smaller courthouses not usually attended by the Irish Prison Service.
The specific information requested by the Deputy in tabular form is detailed below.
Transport Budget for the period 2021 - 2023
|
Year |
Capital Budget |
Maintenance Budget |
|
2021 |
€ 250,000 |
€1,150,000 |
|
2022 |
€ 2,026,000 |
€1,431,000 |
|
2023 |
€ 2,500,000 |
€1,150,000 |