Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 2

Written Answers. - Criminological Research.

Martin Cullen

Question:

45 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Justice , in the context of the £66 million allocated to her Department over the next few years for a recently announced law and order package, the percentage that will be spent on criminological research, particularly the evaluation of our prison system; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Peadar Clohessy

Question:

52 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Justice , in the context of the £66 million allocated to her Department over the next few years for a recently announced law and order package, the percentage that will be spent on criminological research, particularly the evaluation of our prison system; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 52 together. Deputies will be aware that the law and order package, costing £66 million over three years, which I announced in December 1993 is directed towards specific projects and developments in the law and order field. It is intended to improve the capacity of the Garda Síochána to deal with crime, to finance measures to help the prison system to cope with higher numbers being committed to custody and to expand the court system. All of these measures were suggested following examination and research of deficiencies requiring correction.

The financing of academic criminological research is a separate issue. Many specific research projects have been carried out into particular aspects of the criminal justice system, including the prison system, in recent years and my Department is constantly looking at ways of improving research. I would like to highlight three developments. First, senior officials of my Department recently met with the Director of the Central Statistics Office to consider how criminal justice data can be more closely co-ordinated and interlinked. Following that meeting it has been decided to set up a special study group to examine the matter in more detail and report back to me. Second, and in the context of my ongoing review of the prison system, I intend to consider the possibility of developing within my Department a specific research resource for the prison system. Finally, in so far as the Garda Síochána is concerned, I would like to remind the House of the decision to set up a Research Unit, in line with the recommendation in the Walsh Committee report comprising a Head of Research, civilian researchers and Garda researchers.