The Garda cost for providing security escorts for the movement of cash was £5.3 million last year, the Minister for Justice told the Dail. Mr O'Donoghue said the banks and other financial institutions might be asked to pay more for protection for cash movements.

The associated banks, An Post and some private security firms availed of the Garda security protection service and the associated banks paid £750,000 of the £2.1 million bill they incurred for cash movements, he said.

The banks also paid £2.5 million to the Department of Defence.

Fine Gael's justice spokesman, Mr Jim Higgins, said the banks should be grateful that the State was providing such an efficient service.

Mr O'Donoghue said he regretted that substantial Garda time and resources had to be devoted to escorts of this nature but this was done to prevent large sums of cash falling into the hands of subversives or criminal organisations.