Michael Lowry
Ceist:289. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda stations without access to broadband in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63053/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 15 December 2022
Ceisteanna (289)
Freagraí scríofa
I have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, regretfully this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand. 289.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 289 of 15 December 2022 where you sought:
"The number of Garda stations without access to broadband in County Tipperary.”
As you will recall, I had sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
As you will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including any decisions in relation to the allocation and control of Garda ICT equipment and resources. As Minister for Justice, I have no role in such matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that currently there are thirty six Garda stations connected to the Garda Network in Tipperary, with an additional two stations provided with connectivity by way of the Mobile Data Station as part of the mobility project roll out.
I am advised that there are four Garda stations without such connectivity. However, I am also advised that over 400 Garda personnel in Tipperary have been issued with Mobility devices. Such devices, as part of the Mobility project, have addressed connectivity in the smaller stations by boosting the mobile signal and then using Garda mobile phones as a desktop through which they have access to every Garda system including pulse and internet services.
I understand that as part of the ICT Capital Investment Plan for An Garda Síochána, in 2023 a large programme of work is scheduled to commence around the upgrading of the Garda Network in order to build the foundations required to enhance access to current ICT services and to operate various new services planned over the coming years as An Garda Síochána seeks to deliver on Information Led Policing to Keep People Safe.
I also understand that this programme of work will see key upgrades occur centrally at the core of the Garda Network to deliver higher bandwidth connectivity and greater resiliency across data centres which will then allow for the upgrading to higher bandwidth connections at local station level throughout the country, where such services exist.