As the Deputy will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. Further, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles among the various Garda divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these decisions. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure their optimum use.
The below tables, furnished to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of Roads Policing Vehicles that were allocated and removed in 2020 and to date 2021.
Allocated
|
|
Cars
|
Vans
|
Motorbikes
|
4x4
|
Total
|
|
2021*
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
|
2020
|
33
|
0
|
26
|
0
|
59
|
Removed
|
|
Cars
|
Vans
|
Motorbikes
|
4x4
|
Total
|
|
2021*
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
|
2020
|
19
|
0
|
15
|
1
|
35
|
* as of 23 April 2021
I am further advised that 25 new vehicles have been purchased for the Roads Policing Unit with expected allocation in the second quarter of 2021 following fit-out.