Vol. 892 No. 1
112. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide additional resources to An Garda Síochána in Tallaght in Dublin 24 to facilitate effective action to tackle criminal activity which is occurring in Bohernabreena Cemetery; her views on the concern of many concerning this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34784/15]
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel including Community Gardaí among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources.
I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that there have been four crime incidents of ‘thefts from unattended vehicles’, recorded as having occurred at Bohernabreena Cemetery, Tallaght since January, 2015.
I am advised that the area in question is regularly policed by uniform and neighbourhood policing units, as well as the District Detective Unit and the District Drug Unit. The area has also been highlighted as a patrol area under Operation Irene, an operation established to counteract incidents of anti-social behaviour, associated with alcohol consumption in public areas and open spaces frequently used by young people. Community Gardaí are currently liaising with South Dublin County Council to have CCTV erected at the cemetery in an effort to combat the issue of thefts in the area.
I am further informed that Garda Management is satisfied that a full and comprehensive policing service is being delivered to the communities in the area concerned.
113. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and expected residency status of a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34785/15]
I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 08 December 2009.
Representations were received from the person's legal representative, to request the Minister to use her discretion, pursuant to Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to revoke the Deportation Order. The Deputy might wish to note that any such decision will be to 'affirm' or to 'revoke' the existing Deportation Order. In the mean-time, the Deportation Order remains valid and in place.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
114. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drug seizures by An Garda Síochána in the R district in 2014; in 2015 to date; the type; the monetary value, of the drugs seized. [34800/15]
I wish to advise the Deputy that I have requested the information sought from the Garda authorities and I will revert to the Deputy in due course.
115. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is aware of the risks to archives services posed by current negotiation in Brussels on the draft European Union regulation on the processing of personal data, the data protection regulation; that proposed changes to the Council of Ministers’ text of Articles 5 and 6 may make it impossible for some services to continue to accept and preserve documents that are an important part of our national heritage and our history, and provide essential authentic evidence for citizens to discover their personal identity and background; her views that there may be a legitimate and overriding public interest in preserving documents containing personal data, and even highly sensitive personal data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34819/15]
The position is that a General Approach on the proposed Data Protection Regulation was agreed by Justice Ministers of the Member States at last June's JHA Counsel meeting. It contains specific provisions, which we fully support, which are intended to permit the processing of personal data for archiving purposes in the public interest and also for scientific, statistical and historical purposes. Intensive discussions are currently taking place with the European Parliament in its capacity as co-legislator with a view to reaching agreement on the text of the Regulation. In that context, Ireland will continue to support inclusion of the specific provisions relating to archiving activity which are contained in the Council's General Approach.
116. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when further recruitment to An Garda Síochána will commence. [34858/15]
This Government is committed to the ongoing recruitment of trainee Gardaí, and to this end the first intake since 2009 of new recruits commenced training at the Garda College, Templemore, in September of last year.
The position in relation to the current competition is as follows. Following receipt of 24,000 applications, the Public Appointment Service invited candidates to complete Stage 1 of the competition which consisted of an assessment questionnaire and reasoning tests which were undertaken on-line. I understand that around 18,000 candidates completed this stage and fewer than 13,000 candidates reached a satisfactory standard. Those who did achieve a satisfactory standard were placed in three bands determined by their overall scores.
To date there has been four intakes of Garda Trainees into the Garda College, giving a total intake of 400. A further 150 recruits will enter college by year end, bringing total recruitment of Garda Trainees to 550. So far 290 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána. On attestation, new Probationer Gardaí are assigned to Garda stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner, where they are assigned to mainstream uniform policing duties.
117. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will examine and expedite an application for temporary and limited leave to remain in the State by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34860/15]
I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an application was received for permission to remain in the State from the person mentioned on 26 February 2015. The consideration of information on file is ongoing. Further documents were requested by INIS on 30 September 2015, and a final decision cannot be made on this application until these documents are submitted.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
118. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider Wicklow court house as part of the €10 million provision in Exchequer funding for courts building refurbishment under the capital investment plan, as this court house has been earmarked for development of a Four Courts campus by the Courts Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34869/15]
As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service have informed me that a portion of land adjacent to Wicklow Courthouse was acquired by the Courts Service that would allow for the future development of the courthouse. The courthouse building and surrounding lands are in the ownership of the Courts Service. While the Courts Service has not been in a position in recent years to proceed with its plans for Wicklow Courthouse, it is committed to the development of the courthouse and is reviewing its capital investment proposals in the light of the recent publication of "Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021". I am assured that the matter will be kept under review, having regard to available resources.
119. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality for a breakdown of the number of community gardaí in the Kerry division; and where they have been stationed for the years 2010 to October 2015. [34879/15]
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including Community Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of Community Garda in the Kerry Division, from 31 December 2010 - 31 August 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, are as set out in the table attached.
It is, of course, the case that all Gardaí have a role to play in addressing community policing issues as and when the need arises. In that sense, community policing involves far more than a single unit within the Garda Síochána, a point highlighted by the Garda Inspectorate in their third report entitled "Policing in Ireland—Looking Forward" in which they stated that community policing is a fundamental policing philosophy and that there is a strong foundation for it in Ireland.
An Garda Síochána now operates a new model of Community Policing which aims to build upon and enhance progress made so far. I fully support this renewed emphasis on Community Policing particularly in light of the priority given to this in the Programme for Government. The model is about renewing, reinvigorating and restructuring the community policing function within An Garda Síochána to deliver a consistent national structure to the community policing function, a more co-ordinated and efficient Garda service to the community and a spread of good practice and quality of service in community policing on a national basis.
Community Garda Kerry Division
|
Year |
Tralee Garda Station |
Killarney Garda Station |
|
2010 |
5 |
4 |
|
2011 |
6 |
3 |
|
2012 |
7 |
3 |
|
2013 |
7 |
2 |
|
2014 |
6 |
2 |
|
*2015 |
6 |
- |
* 31 August 2015
