Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Oct 1995

Vol. 456 No. 3

Written Answers. - Garda Escort Costs.

Gerard C. Connolly

Ceist:

14 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the cost to the Exchequer of accompanying money in transit since 1 January 1995; the contribution paid by financial institutions to the State for such accompaniment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13756/95]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

My reply to this question has regard only to the escort costs relevant to the Garda Síochána Vote. Military costs which arise from the escort of cash in transit are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Defence.

The estimated Garda costs of accompanying cash in transit in 1995 to date are not yet available. However, for the Deputy's interest, I will repeat my reply to Question No. 35 on 11 May 1995. The Garda manpower costs incurred in 1994 on approximately 27,000 Garda/Army escorts of cash movements from banks and post offices to cash holding centres and the Central Bank, as well as escorts of cash to post offices for the purpose of social welfare payments, was in the region of £1.5 million. Records are not maintained in such a way as to enable an estimate of the transport costs involved in all of these escorts to be computed.

As regards contributions from financial institutions, a total of £2 million was received by the Exchequer from the associated banks in 1994 in respect of security costs incurred by the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. Some £500,000 of that contribution was credited to the Garda Síochána Vote. In his 1995 budget, the Minister for Finance made provision for an increased contribution of £3 million from the banks in the current year, of which £750,000 is to be paid to the Garda Síochána Vote.