I am informed by the Garda authorities that the costs incurred by the Garda Síochána in providing cash escorts for the banks-lending institutions in each of the past five years is as follows:
Year
|
Costs
|
|
€
|
2003
|
3,283,348
|
2002
|
3,953,886
|
2001
|
4,341,491
|
2000
|
2,971,817
|
1999
|
3,112,538
|
Following negotiations between the banks and my Department last year, the banks agreed to increase their contributions to these costs to €3,000,000 in respect of 2003. It was also agreed that further discussions would occur about the level of contributions to be made by the banks in future years, and my Department is currently pursuing this matter.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that other, more generalised security provided to the banks-lending institutions forms part of operational policing and is not costed separately.