Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2012
356. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which modern technology and upgraded transport continues to be made available to An Garda Síochána throughout the country with particular reference to the need to focus on areas suffering from high incidents of organised crime and criminality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55695/12]
View answerThe provision and deployment of Garda resources, including modern technologies and transport, are matters for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified policing needs. In this context the Garda authorities have indicated that significant resources have been, and will continue to be, devoted to tackling organised crime.
As the Deputy will be aware the Gardaí are bearing down very hard on criminal gangs. Week in week out, An Garda Síochána is making arrests and bringing persons before the courts, with substantial sentences being imposed in many cases. Considerable success has also been achieved in disrupting the illicit drugs trade on which much organised crime depends. In excess of €90m of drugs were seized in the first nine months of the year, including the largest inland seizure of cocaine in Ireland. Other seizures are taking place on a continuous basis.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that in recent years considerable progress has been made within the Force in the deployment of modern technological support in the fight against organised crime. These advances include the full roll out of the National Digital Radio System, the Automated Fingerprint Information System and Automated Number Plate Recognition.
With regard to transport, the Deputy will be aware that a recent investment of €3 million in the Garda fleet has resulted in an order for 170 new vehicles being placed this year. These vehicles are due to begin coming on stream in the coming weeks. This investment brings to more than 210 the number of new vehicles ordered this year, at a cost of €4 million. In addition, a further €5 million is being made available for the purchase and fit-out of new Garda vehicles in 2013.
This level of expenditure, at a time of severe budgetary constraint, represents a very significant investment in Garda transport. I have no doubt that the additional funding, in conjunction with the advanced policing technologies available to An Garda Síochána, will contribute to the effectiveness of the force in preventing and detecting organised crime.
