Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 April 2017
34. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount provided under the capital plan for Garda information technology; the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18814/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra35. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount provided under the capital plan for the divisional headquarters in Kevin Street, Dublin; the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18815/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra36. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount provided under the capital plan for the divisional headquarters in Galway city; the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18816/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra37. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount provided under the capital plan for the divisional headquarters in Wexford; the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18817/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra38. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount provided under the capital plan for the PPP investment to deliver a number of new Garda stations and facilities; the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18818/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra39. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount provided under the capital plan for doubling the level of investment in the Garda fleet; the amount spent to date; the number of vehicles added to the fleet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18819/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 34 to 39, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will be aware that the Government's Capital Plan envisages an unprecedented level of Capital investment in the Justice Sector, with some €875 million in capital funding being allocated to the sector together with further approval and funding for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. As far as investment in An Garda Síochána is concerned, this included:
- PPP projects to deliver new Garda station construction nationwide;
- €46 million for new Garda vehicles;
- major additional investment of €205m in Garda Síochána technology and systems; and
- €18 million for refurbishment of Garda stations.
This allocation demonstrates this Government's commitment to investing in 21st Century policing, and to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the vehicles and technology to be effective, mobile and responsive to prevent and tackle crime in both urban and rural areas. In addition, it will provide better facilities for members and staff of An Garda Síochána and, importantly, enable An Garda Síochána to enhance the service it provides to the public in terms of supporting victims of crime and investigating crime.
In relation to investment in Garda ICT infrastructure, some €330 million, including €205 million under the Capital Plan, is being invested over the period 2016 to 2021. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a considerable amount of new Garda ICT solutions has been delivered over the past number of years. These include the deployment of a secure national digital radio system (NDRS), the deployment and support of Garda and Community CCTV systems, an automated number plate recognition (ANPR) system, an e-Vetting system and the addition of many new functions to the PULSE system, which itself is further supported by a dedicated data entry service in Castlebar.
I am further informed that key ICT outputs from the Garda Síochána Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021, include:
- the introduction of mobile technology solutions to enable operational Gardaí to access core information systems, including PULSE, while on duty and away from Garda stations;
- providing members with real-time information on mobile devices, as well as enabling investigation teams to collect and share information digitally;
- the continued extension of the Garda network throughout 2017 to ensure that non-networked stations gain access to relevant systems;
- modernisation of Garda information systems, such as PULSE, to ensure that members have quick access to timely and accurate information.
In addition, I understand that the following key projects have commenced and will see delivery across 2017:
- Investigations Management System which will support the management of activities completed as part of an investigation, maintain a full history of the chain of events in an investigation, manage information gathered, decisions made and actions taken;
- Property and Exhibit Management System which will be used to record all property and exhibits which come into Garda possession and manage them throughout their life cycle within the organisation from crime scene to court;
- Enterprise Content Management system which will provide An Garda Síochána with a single enterprise content repository for all documentation and multimedia content created (for example CCTV clips); and
- Rosters and Duty Management system.
The Deputy will be aware that three new Garda Headquarters are being progressed by the Office of Public Works in close cooperation with An Garda Síochána. I am informed that work is progressing well on all three projects which are expected to be completed this year. The cost of each project is some €29.5 million for Kevin Street; some €24.5 million for Wexford and some €27.5 million for Galway - all figures ex VAT.
In October 2015, I announced in conjunction with my colleague the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works the Garda Síochána Building and Refurbishment Programme 2016 – 2021. This Programme includes a number of projects which reflect the priorities of An Garda Síochána, including:
- a PPP to deliver new Garda stations in Macroom Clonmel and Sligo;
- major refurbishment of stations/facilities including facilities for meeting victims of crime;
- essential remedial works to existing stations;
- development of large scale Property and Exhibit Management Stores; and
- upgrade of cells and provision of improved Custody Management Facilities.
As far as the PPP is concerned, I am advised by the Garda authorities that the Office of Public Works is making good progress towards the acquisition of suitable sites for the proposed developments and, in addition, discussions have taken place with the National Development Finance Agency.
With regard to the Garda Fleet, some €46 million is being invested over the lifetime of the Capital Plan. The Deputy will be aware that there has been unprecedented investment in the Garda Fleet in recent years and, from the moment that the economy began to turn, it was clear to this and the previous Government that such investment was a necessity. The actual expenditure in new and replacement vehicles over the period 2013 to 2016 was in the region of €40 million. This works out at average expenditure of €10 million per annum compared to an average of €1.6 million over the three year period 2009 to 2011 for example.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that, as on 13 March 2017, the latest date for which figures are available, the Garda fleet comprised of 2,807 vehicles. Some 64% of the fleet is now less than 4 years old and in fact almost 1 in 5 vehicles are less than one-year-old. This compares with the situation in 2012 where in the region of 89% of the fleet were older than four years and only 1 in 50 (i.e. 2%) of the fleet was less than one-year old.
