Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 October 2013
431. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will roll out a nationwide bicycle registration scheme through the Garda force working with all bicycle shops, in the interests of preventing or reducing bicycle theft, and of facilitating the prosecution of theft, through the easy identification of bicycle ownership. [41907/13]
View answerAn Garda Síochána is proactive in encouraging the public to protect their property, including bicycles, and a range of measures are in place to prevent and tackle the theft of bicycles.
The Garda initiatives in this area include a crime prevention information leaflet on bicycle security, which is available on the Garda website, www.garda.ie. The leaflet emphasises the importance of bicycle owners keeping a record of the bicycle frame identification number, colour and any other unique features. Furthermore, in July 2012, An Garda Síochána created a link from the Garda website to YouTube to promote a video on bicycle security which had been developed as a joint initiative by An Garda Síochána and Dublin City Council. I am also informed that An Garda Síochána is currently rolling out a pilot scheme in a number of Garda locations which allows members of the public to view on-line photographs of recovered property, including bicycles, on the Garda page of the social media site, Flickr.
At the present time, I have no plans to introduce additional measures over and above the range of voluntary crime prevention measures which owners of any type of valuable property are encouraged to take, including those which I have already referred to, and which Gardaí continue to promote nationwide. In the event that the Garda Commissioner feels that some additional measures are called for that would require regulatory of other action on my part, I would of course give such proposals the closest consideration.
