Dominic Hannigan
Question:133. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps the Gardaí are taking in an area (details supplied) to reduce crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40746/12]
View answerCrime Prevention
Questions (133, 134)
Dominic Hannigan
Question:134. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of arrests that have been made in an area (details supplied) in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40747/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is within the Navan Garda District, which is made up of the Navan, Slane and Nobber Garda Sub-Districts. I am further informed that the area is subject to regular patrols, by uniform and plain clothes units, supplemented as required by local Detective and Traffic Corps personnel from Navan Garda Station.
Local Garda management closely monitors such patrols, and other operational strategies in place, in conjunction with crime trends and policing needs of the communities in these areas to ensure optimum use is made of Garda resources and provide the best possible Garda service to the public. While the situation is being kept under review, Garda management is satisfied that a full and comprehensive policing service is being delivered to the communities in the area concerned and that the current structures in place deliver an effective and efficient policing service.
In addition, the Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner has put Operation Fiacla in place in order to address incidents of burglary, aggravated burglaries and related offences throughout the country. Specific burglary operations have been implemented in each Garda region, in support of Operation Fiacla, to target suspected offenders, disrupt their activities and secure their attendance before the courts.
An Garda Síochána also places great emphasis on the importance of the partnership between An Garda Síochána and the community in preventing and detecting crime, and maintaining a safe environment for everyone. An Garda Síochána continues to invest time and energy in these partnerships and relationships to the benefit of all.
Insofar as the number of arrests made in the specific area referred to are concerned, I am informed that this would require a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources to compile due to the fact that persons arrested in the area referred to will, in general, be brought to Navan Garda Station, the District Headquarters, where full custody facilities exist.
I am however informed that Navan Garda Station recorded 686 persons arrested and in their custody in 2010, 660 in 2011 and 486 in 2012 up to 20 September. These figures include arrests made in areas other than Navan sub-district, including those made in Slane and Nobber sub-districts, and brought to Navan Garda Station for custody purposes.
Garda Transport Provision
Questions (135)
Brendan Smith
Question:135. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the Garda stations in counties Cavan and Monaghan that have no Garda patrol cars; the proposals, if any there are to increase the number of vehicles available in the Cavan/Monaghan Garda Division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40773/12]
View answerWritten answers
The provision and allocation of Garda resources, including transport, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. In turn, at Garda Divisional level, the allocation of Garda vehicles is a matter for the Chief Superintendent who may make and revise arrangements for the deployment of vehicles throughout the Division in response to policing demands.
This flexibility in allocating and re-allocating vehicles among stations, so as to best match the allocation of resources with policing priorities, is crucial to the efficient management of the Garda fleet. As a consequence, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not practicable to provide details of permanent allocations of Garda vehicles.
However, I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently 32 Garda cars allocated to the Cavan/Monaghan Division.
I am further advised by the Garda authorities that a new contract for the provision of Garda cars has recently been put in place following a tender process organised by the National Procurement Service. In addition, I can confirm that a number of new vehicles have been ordered and this is a matter which will be further pursued by the Garda authorities with reference to their identified policing needs and the availability of financial resources. In that overall context the requirements of the Cavan/Monaghan Division will be taken into account.
Ministerial Responsibilities
Questions (136)
Brendan Smith
Question:136. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the statutory powers that have been delegated to Ministers of State in his Department; and the date on which the statutory powers were delegated. [40784/12]
View answerWritten answers
I can inform the Deputy that Ms. Kathleen Lynch T.D., was appointed as Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Equality and Mental Health on Thursday 10 March 2011. No statutory powers have been delegated to Minister of State Lynch.
Garda Deployment
Questions (137)
Michael Lowry
Question:137. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reasons for the delay in replacing the crime prevention officer in the Tipperary division; the length of time this position has now been vacant; if other crime prevention officers have been replaced in other divisions; the reason such a position can be immediately replaced in one division and not another; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40787/12]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that the Commissioner, in consultation with his senior management team, is responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, throughout the organisation, and I have no direct function in the matter.
I have asked the Commissioner for an update on the points raised, and on receipt, I will immediately get in touch with the Deputy.
Road Traffic Offences
Questions (138)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:138. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown on the district courts that are enforcing section 63 of the the 2010 Road Traffic Act; if he will indicate the reason that all district courts are not enforcing this section of the 2010 Act; if he will further indicate the number of cases heard in each district court and where convicted driver's licence details were recorded by court clerks and forwarded to National Vehicle and Driver File for penalty points to be applied; the number of cases in each district court where convicted drivers' licence details were not recorded by the Courts Service and not forwarded to NVDF and reason for not doing so; the number of cases in each court where the court clerk record the details of drivers who did not hand over their licence and the number of those were forwarded on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40808/12]
View answerWritten answers
As I previously advised the Deputy, the Courts Service has put in place arrangements to ensure that summonses issued since May 2012 include wording to advise persons charged with an offence under the Road Traffic Acts to bring their driving licence together with a photocopy of the licence when they are attending court. As the Deputy is aware, the conduct of any case before a court is a matter for the presiding judge. I am, however, informed that the Courts Service has communicated with the judiciary to facilitate an arrangement that defendants who appear before the court are requested in court to produce their driving licence and a copy thereof to the court registrar for the purpose of having the driving licence number recorded. Registrars have been requested to record whether or not the licence or a copy thereof was produced to the Court.
As I have stated previously these summons cases are appearing in court from this month. In addition I am informed that a period of at least 15 days must elapse before details of driving licences are forwarded to the National Vehicle Driver File in order to take account of the period in which appeals can be lodged. Therefore statistics arising from the new arrangements are not yet available. I have asked the Courts Service to furnish a report to me at end of November at which stage the arrangements will have been operating for three months and I will arrange to forward details to the Deputy at that time.
Question No. 139 answered with Question No. 130.
Garda Vetting of Personnel
Questions (140)
Eoghan Murphy
Question:140. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to any problems regarding the personal data request form issued by the Garda Central Vetting Office (details supplied). [40840/12]
View answerWritten answers
An individual may apply to the Garda Síochána for a disclosure under Section 4 of the Data Protection Act 1988 (as amended) of a copy of the personal data which is maintained by An Garda Síochána. Such a disclosure is made to the individual to whom the data relates. Data Protection disclosures are issued from the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) to individuals for their own personal use. These disclosures cannot be construed as Garda Vetting, Security Clearance, Character Check or Character Reference and this is clearly stated on each such disclosure issued from that office.
The electronic signature of the Superintendent based at the GCVU, who is in charge of the Garda Síochána’s Data Protection Processing Unit, is utilised as the issuing authority on Data Protection disclosures issued from that office. The use of electronic signatures on documents such as Data Protection disclosures is legally provided for within the provisions of Part 2 of the Electronic Commerce Act 2000.
In view of the number of personal data disclosures, vetting and other documents which are issued by the GCVU, it would be wholly impractical to expect that each such document must be signed personally by the Garda Superintendent in charge.
If the Deputy wishes to provide specific information in relation to the application in question, including the name of the person, I will have it examined further.