Wednesday, 17 Apr 2013

Written Answers Nos. 185 - 194

Garda Recruitment

Questions (185)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

185. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to recommence recruitment to An Garda Siochána this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17758/13]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

Garda numbers have been reducing due to the moratorium on recruitment put in place by the previous Government as part of its plan to reduce the strength of the Force to 13,000. My objective, despite the enormous financial pressures facing the Government is to ensure that Garda numbers will not fall below 13,000. In that context I intend bringing proposals to Government shortly in relation to the strength of the Garda Síochána and when recruitment might recommence.

Crime Prevention

Questions (186)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

186. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the additional resources he will allocate to deal with the rise in the number of theft of mobile phones in Dublin city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17759/13]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

I have requested a report from the Garda authorities setting out the current situation on the matters raised by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly when the report is to hand.

Garda Transport Data

Questions (187)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

187. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of vehicles allocated to the Garda Traffic Corps as of 1 April 2013; if he will provide same as of 31 December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17760/13]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

Decisions in relation to the provision and deployment of Garda transport are matters for the Garda Commissioner. Such decisions are made on the basis of ongoing analysis of An Garda Síochána's operational requirements.

I have been advised by the Garda authorities that the information requested by the Deputy in respect of the Garda Traffic Corps is provided in the following table:

Date	Total number of vehicles
As at 1/4/13	276
As at 31/12/12	289

It should be noted that, whilst certain Garda vehicles may be designated as Traffic Corps vehicles by reason of their livery, all Garda vehicles are required to engage in traffic policing as part of their routine duties.

Overall, the Deputy will be aware that I made an additional €3 million available to An Garda Síochána towards the end of last year, enabling the Commissioner to procure a further 171 Garda vehicles. This brought total investment in the Garda fleet in 2012 to €4 million and resulted in a total of 213 new vehicles being procured during the year.

The financial provision in the Garda budget for the purchase and fit-out of Garda transport in 2013 is €5 million. The funding will enable An Garda Síochána to obtain a significant number of new vehicles and it is a matter which is under active consideration by the Garda authorities. At this stage, however, the specific details involved have yet to be finalised but the Deputy can be assured that the vehicles will be deployed as effectively as possible in line with operational circumstances, including the requirements of the Traffic Corps.

The allocation of the €5 million represents a very considerable financial investment in Garda transport, particularly at a time when the level of funding available across the public sector is severely limited. It is a clear indication of my commitment to ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, An Garda Síochána are provided with sufficient resources to enable them to provide an effective and efficient policing service.

Asylum Applications

Questions (188)

Robert Dowds

Question:

188. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding former asylum seekers who has been given leave to remain but is unable to present a valid passport through no fault of their own; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17765/13]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

Where a person has been granted permission to remain by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), the provisions of Section 9 (2)(a) of the Immigration Act 2004 require that person to 'register' with the Garda National Immigration Bureau as soon as possible thereafter. In the context of any application for such registration, the person in question would need to have in their possession the following items:

(i) their original permission to remain decision letter,

(ii) their Passport and

(iii) the requisite registration fee.

In the context of the passport related requirement, Section 9 (2)(a) of the Immigration Act 2004 specifically states that "... he, or she, shall, as soon as may be, furnish to the registration officer ........... and, unless he or she gives a satisfactory explanation for the circumstances which prevent his or her doing so, produce to the registration officer a valid passport or other equivalent document, issued by or on behalf of an authority recognised by the Government, which establishes his or her identity and nationality."

In the event that a person making an application for such registration cannot, in spite of their best efforts, obtain a passport then he or she would need to be able to show, through the production of verifiable documentary evidence, the efforts that they have made to obtain a passport and why they were unable to do so. Where such verifiable documentary evidence is produced, the Garda National Immigration Bureau has the discretionary powers to effect registration without the production of a valid passport, however, this discretion will only be exercised in the most limited of circumstances.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Questions (189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194)

Niall Collins

Question:

189. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of anti social behavioural orders issued by Gardai from 2007 to date in 2013 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17766/13]

Niall Collins

Question:

190. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who received more than one anti social behavioural orders issued by Gardaí from 2007 to date in 2013 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17767/13]

Niall Collins

Question:

191. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of behaviour warnings issued by Gardaí from 2007 to date in 2013 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17801/13]

Niall Collins

Question:

192. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who received more than one behaviour warning issued by Gardaí from 2007 to date in 2013 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17802/13]

Niall Collins

Question:

193. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of good behaviour contracts issued by Gardaí from 2007 to date in 2013 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17803/13]

Niall Collins

Question:

194. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of the reasons given by Gardaí for issuing ASBOS, behaviour warnings and good behaviour contracts from 2007 to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17804/13]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 to 194, inclusive, together.

I have requested a report from the Garda authorities on the matters raised by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly when the report is to hand.