I am informed by the Garda authorities that the manpower cost involved in providing Garda escorts for movements of cash to and from the associated banks for each of the years 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 was in the order of £700,000, £765,000, £826,000 and £1,423,000. The equivalent costs in respect of the years 1990-1993 are not readily available and could not be compiled without a disproportionate expenditure of resources by the Garda authorities.
Garda escorts are also provided to An Post, and some private security firms. The total manpower cost of providing all such Garda escorts in each of the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 was in the order of £3 million, £3.7 million and £4 million.