Written Answers Nos 444-465
444. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the appeals process relating to land eligibility; the number of cases heard to date by the independent chairman; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27375/14]
View answerMy Department is bound, under EU Regulations, to maintain the accuracy the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) which underpins the direct payments. At the start of each year, my Department issues colour maps of all land parcels declared by farmers in the previous year together with a covering letter. In that letter, farmers are clearly informed of the need to carefully examine each map carefully and to identify and exclude from their application all unfarmed land, ineligible features such as buildings, farmyards, scrub, roadways, forests, lakes etc. included in the land parcels. There is, therefore, an onus on all farmers to ensure that the area of land declared by them as eligible for payment under the Direct Payment Schemes is accurate. They are also given the means to do so by making the ortho-photos available to them on an annual basis. These requirements are also made clear in the Terms and Conditions of the Schemes, which accompanies the pre-printed application form issued to all farmers.
In the letters which issue where ineligible areas have been identified, considerable detail regarding the issues and maps to advise of the particular over-claims, are provided, in addition to which farmers are also informed of the appeals process, should they disagree with my Department’s findings. The appeals process I have introduced is both robust and comprehensive; in the first instance, applicants are entitled to have their case reviewed by submitting their appeal on the form provided by my Department. If they are not satisfied with the outcome of the review, they can appeal their case to the independent-chaired Land Eligibility Appeals Committee.
To date, some 10,173 appeals have been received, of which 3,852 have been finalised. A total of 3,464 cases have been referred for verification visit, in order to establish the position on the ground. To date, 179 cases have been referred to the Appeals Committee for consideration; the number of cases being referred will increase, as the number of verification visits finalised increases.
445. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the targets set in the Food Harvest 2020 strategy for the pigmeat sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27376/14]
View answerIn the Food Harvest 2020 Strategy the target for the pig sector is to increase output value by 50% over the baseline period 2007-09. The attainment of this target is underpinned by a number of policies and initiatives; notable amongst these was the establishment of the Teagasc/IFA pig Joint Programme in May 2013. Funded by a levy on each pig slaughtered and/or exported, this has enabled Teagasc to employ four additional advisors and researchers to support producers and the sector through advice, research and education across a range of issues of importance to the sector. Almost €230,000 was collected during 2013 and over 300 commercial pig producers will benefit from this initiative.
The value of pig output has increased by 41% over the baseline average since the launch of Food Harvest 2020. Output value in 2013 amounted to €436 million, compared to the overall Food Harvest target of €464m by 2020. This compares with the baseline average of €309 million and therefore represents a considerable increase in the performance of the sector. Based on the above, the value of pig output is more than four-fifths of the way to its 2020 target. The associated volume data shows an increase of 20% during the same time.
With regard to exports, the 2020 target has already been exceeded. The 2013 outturn of some €485 million compares to an absolute target of €467 million, that being 40% above the baseline. Fresh or chilled pigmeat and frozen pigmeat have grown by a total of €123m against the baseline. There is an associated volume increase of 57% (47k tonnes), while the volume of edible pig offal, fresh or chilled has increased by 216% (10k tonnes).
The pig sector is one to which I attach great importance particularly as it is an industry which supports approximately 7,000 jobs including production, slaughter, processing, feed manufacture and services. The sector accounts for 5% of the total agri-food sector and is the 3rd largest individual component. I am pleased to note in particular that prices paid to farmers in the pig sector are currently at a three-year high. I will continue to work with the sector at all levels to ensure that implementation of the Food Harvest strategy continues and delivers viable returns for all links in the supply chain.
446. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the criteria required for a Ukrainian citizen seeking to travel to Ireland for a business trip; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26610/14]
View answerIt is open to a visa required national to make a visa application for any purpose, the onus resting with the applicant to satisfy the Visa Officer as to why the visa should be granted. All information that the applicant wishes to have taken into consideration should be included with his or her application.
Guidelines on the visa application process, including details of the required supporting documentation for a business visa can be found on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department at www.inis.gov.ie. It should be borne in mind, however, that the information contained on the website is intended to act as guidance only; it does not limit the discretion of the Visa Officer in dealing with individual applications. Visa applications for Ukrainian nationals living in Ukraine are lodged at our Honorary Consulate in Kiev and processed by the dedicated Irish Visa Office in Moscow, which is a sub-office of INIS. This Office handles all aspects of visa applications, including appeals, locally.
Queries in relation to general immigration matters may be made directly to INIS 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 INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
447. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason wives and families of Saudi students on English language programmes and third level courses are allowed to accompany their husbands or fathers while they study here, but wives and families of Libyan students are allowed to accompany their husband or father only if one parent is studying for a PhD, and not for undergraduate or English language programmes; if her attention has been drawn to the negative effect that this has in marketing Ireland as a destination of choice for English language studies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26799/14]
View answer464. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason wives and families of Saudi students on English language programmes and third level courses are allowed to accompany their husbands or father while they study here, but wives and families of Libyan students are allowed to accompany their husband or father only if one parent is studying for a PhD, and not for undergraduate or English language programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26802/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 464 together.
Under the current immigration rules non-EEA students do not generally have any rights to family reunification, subject to certain limited exemptions. Exemptions from this general policy are only allowable where a non-EEA student is pursuing a course of study at PhD level and where the student continues to make academic progress with a view to completing their Doctoral studies within four years. A further exemption exists where the Non-EEA student is a participant in an academic programme agreed between the Irish State and another state whereby the student and dependants are sufficiently well funded in respect of all expenses in Ireland, or where any such agreement provides an exemption.
In that context the Deputy may wish to note that students from Saudi Arabia, in the vast majority of cases, are resident and funded in Ireland for the purposes of study under the terms of the King Abdullah Scholarship Programme and another similar programme which allows Saudi students to avail of the Family Reunification conditions set out above.
With regard to Libyan students, no equivalent scholarship programme agreed between Ireland and Libya is currently in place. In the event of such a programme being discussed and agreed between the relevant national authorities, there is no reason in principle why equivalent Family Reunification conditions could not be put in place. In the meantime, the general rules regarding family reunification apply. Libyan students pursuing courses at PhD level can avail of family reunification.
448. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider making provision in regulations for the introduction of a new bike scheme (details supplied). [27013/14]
View answerAs Deputy will appreciate, the examination of crime prevention measures such as the one mentioned by the Deputy is a matter in the first instance for the Garda authorities. I am, however, grateful to the Deputy for bringing this matter to attention and I have forwarded the details he supplied to the Acting Garda Commissioner for consideration in the context of overall measures to counter bicycle theft. In that regard I am informed by the Garda authorities that a range of operational measures are pursued to combat bicycle theft and to target those who may engage in it, and there is ongoing provision by An Garda Síochána of crime prevention information, and awareness raising among the general public in relation to bicycle theft.
449. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the ongoing delay in the implementation of the Magdalen laundries plan; the reason she feels that the private services mentioned in Appendix G would not be appropriate for the Magdalen laundries women; the reason there is only mention of public services within the State within the plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27176/14]
View answerI can confirm for the Deputy that this morning the Government, on my proposal agreed to the publications of the scheme of a new Bill to provide for services and supports for women who worked in Magdalen Laundries. The purpose of this Bill is to make additional provisions for:
- Access to health services.
- The exempting of payments which have been made by the State to these women from means test criteria for certain State services.
- Legal provision for relatives or other appropriate persons to act on behalf of any of the women who do not have the capacity to act of their own behalf.
450. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to award members of the Garda Reserve as well as members of the Garda a medal for long-term service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27192/14]
View answerI am informed that the Garda Long Service Medal is issued to Garda members on completion of 22 years service on application from the member.
451. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the composition of the task force on the role of women as agreed under the Constitutional Convention; the timeframe for the completion of its work; the current status of the task force; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26581/14]
View answerA task force composed of senior officials from the Equality and Civil Law Divisions of my Department has been established to examine issues arising from the Second Report of the Convention on the Constitution including, in particular, the question of the most appropriate wording to be presented to the people arising from the Convention’s recommendations in relation to amending the language in Article 41.2 of the Constitution on the role of women in the home. The task force has met on six occasions to date and is collaborating with other Departments and with the Office of the Attorney General as necessary. The task force has been requested to report back to Government by 31 October 2014.
452. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of stages involved in an application for Irish naturalisation. [26607/14]
View answerThere are three main stages in the processing of an application for a certificate of naturalisation. Upon receipt of an application, an initial examination is carried out to determine if the application is valid. If the application is incomplete then it is returned in its entirety to the applicant. If required information or supporting documentation is missing then the applicant will be given 28 days in which to provide the required information, failing which the application will be rejected.
Valid applications are examined to determine if the applicant meets the statutory residency criteria. Applicants with any shortfall in their residency are informed of this and will be able to reapply when they have the required residency. Those whose applications successfully pass the initial assessment stage are informed that their application has been initially assessed and has proceeded successfully to the second stage of processing.
In the second stage of processing the case is examined in detail and enquiries are made with An Garda Síochána and other Government Departments and external agencies as appropriate in order to determine if the good character condition is satisfied. When all enquiries have been completed and all necessary documentation has been compiled the case is submitted to me for decision. For over 70% of cases, a decision is being made within 6 months, with the remainder taking longer and in a small number of cases considerably longer to process.
The third stage of processing involves notification of my decision to the applicant and, where applicable, the issuing of invitations to citizenship ceremonies, production of certificates of naturalisation and the preparation of ceremony packs. Formal citizenship ceremonies allow candidates for citizenship to make their declaration of fidelity to the Irish nation and loyalty to the State and receive their certificate of naturalisation in a meaningful and dignified manner which befits the importance and solemnity of the occasion.
453. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers currently in receipt of direct provision in the State; her views regarding direct provision; the average processing time for asylum seekers in receipt of direct provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26702/14]
View answerThe Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their protection or any related leave to remain application. As at 8 June 2014 there were 4,353 persons availing of direct provision accommodation and supports in 34 accommodation centres in the State.
The operation of the Direct Provision system is kept under review and I acknowledge that the length of time that residents spend in Direct Provision is an issue to be addressed. I have no desire for applicants to remain in the protection system any longer than the minimum period it takes to process their case. The median processing time to a final decision by the Minister on an asylum application in 2013 was 36 weeks. Some cases can take significantly longer to complete due to, for example, delays arising from medical issues or because of judicial review proceedings. All asylum applications and appeals are processed in accordance with the Refugee Act 1996 and other relevant statutory provisions. High quality and fair decision-making in all cases continues to be a key priority at all stages of the asylum process.
Persons who are refused refugee status are notified of their entitlement to apply for subsidiary protection. This is separate to the asylum or refugee status determination process. This is invariably followed by the so-called leave to remain process. Each of these processes which determine whether an applicant can remain in the State are hugely complex and subject to oversight by the courts and have to be examined in accordance with a large body of Irish and international law. There are no shortcuts as the outcomes can lead to the most fundamental life-changing event for the applicants.
Measures have recently been taken with a view to delivering improvements in the processing of protection applications. The Deputy may be aware that the European Union (Subsidiary Protection) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 426 of 2013) were signed into law by my predecessor last November. Under the new Regulations, responsibility for the processing of applications for subsidiary protection was transferred from my Department to the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) with appeals to be dealt with by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT). Both of these bodies are independent in the exercise of their statutory functions and they have substantial experience in the area of asylum investigations and appeals, respectively.
Additional resources have been allocated to the establishment and operation of the new arrangements for the processing of these cases which include the engagement of a panel of legally qualified persons to process cases, personal interviews for each applicant at the first instance and the opportunity for an applicant to appeal a negative recommendation of the ORAC to the RAT. The ORAC, in consultation with the UNHCR, have recently published on its website details of how it will prioritise the process of scheduling persons for interview taking into account, inter-alia, dealing with applicants who are longest in the system first. The intention is to process as many of these cases to finality, to include consideration of any leave to remain aspects arising, in the shortest possible timeframe consistent with quality and fair assessment of all cases and of course, subject to the cooperation of applicants and no further legal impediments arising.
The Government remains committed to immigration and protection reform as provided for under the Programme for Government and under the Government Legislation Programme. Legislating to provide the means for a single procedure and related issues to deal with all protection claims is of priority in that it will provide the framework for removing the structural delays which are a feature of our existing protection system. In that respect work by my officials on legislative reform in this area continues, including in conjunction with the Offices of the Attorney General and of the Parliamentary Counsel, with a view to bringing forward legislation this year.
454. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will enact the Coroners Bill 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26703/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Coroners Bill 2007 is before the Seanad. While it would be my wish to be in a position to progress this important Bill, it is not possible, at this point, for me to indicate the likely timetable with any certainty at this precise point. However, I am having the matter reviewed in my Department over the summer recess in order to set out a firm plan for progressing the Bill having regard to other pressing commitments.
455. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of driving licences submitted to the fines offices of all district courts in the years 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 following notices having been issued from those offices to drivers who received disqualification orders from the courts. [26718/14]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the arrangements in relation to driving licences changed in January 2013. Up to then, when a person was disqualified by a court, they had to send/hand their driving licence into the court office. The disqualification was physically marked on the licence which was then sent to the relevant motor tax office where it was held until the period of disqualification was completed or the licence was restored by the court.
From January 2013, the person was required to send the licence directly to the licensing authority. This coincided with the introduction of the new card type driving licences on which details of a disqualification could not physically be entered. The fines notice which now issues to the person who was fined and disqualified includes the following "Please forward your driving licence to the National Driver Licence Service, PO Box 858, Southside Delivery Office, Cork for the purpose of having the particulars of the conviction of disqualification of the District Court endorsed on your driver record".
Prior to 2013, there were no computerised records of any driving licences which were handed in so it is not possible to provide figures for 2012. The Courts Service has advised that all the figures should be available from the local motor tax offices for the period up to the creation of the National Driver Licence Service in late 2013. Figures since then should be available from the National Driver Licence Service.
456. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding citizenship in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26742/14]
View answerOfficials in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question, who currently has permission to remain in the State until 20 September 2014. Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. The conditions are that the applicant must:
- be of full age
- be of good character
- have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the State amounting to four years
- intend in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation
- have, before a judge of the District Court in open court, in a citizenship ceremony or in such manner as the Minister, for special reasons, allows—
(i) made a declaration, in the prescribed manner, of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, and
(ii) undertaken to faithfully observe the laws of the State and to respect its democratic values.
A foreign national who is married to, or is the civil partner of, an Irish citizen for at least three years may apply for naturalisation under section 15A of the Irish Naturalisation and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, where they have been continuously resident in the island of Ireland for the year immediately prior to the date of their application and for two out of the four years prior to that year. The marriage or civil partnership must be subsisting and recognised under Irish law. Section 15A provides that the Minister may waive certain conditions for naturalisation if satisfied that the applicant would suffer serious consequences in respect of his or her bodily integrity or liberty if not granted Irish citizenship.
Section 16 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, waive some or all of the statutory conditions in certain circumstances i.e. where an applicant is of Irish descent or of Irish associations; where an applicant is a person who is a refugee within the meaning of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees; or where an applicant is a Stateless person within the meaning of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Stateless persons.
It is open to any individual to lodge an application for citizenship if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 as amended.
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 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 INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
457. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the Cabinet sub-committee responsible for Traveller issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19924/14]
View answerTraveller issues generally fall within the remit of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy.
458. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will support the recommendations as outlined by the families involved in the Justice for the Forgotten group, including the request that the sub-committee consider the way information relating to past atrocities should be made available to the victims and their families; if this should be done through an independent commission of inquiry; the suggestion by the Garda Commissioner that a liaison officer be appointed and that he or she takes a proactive role in implementing such a measure in a timely fashion; if she will support their request that GSOC be expanded to allow for the investigation of historic conflict-related cases where families may wish to make a complaint about the Garda investigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26761/14]
View answerA part of the legacy of the troubles on this island is the tragic human cost in terms of the lives lost, the people injured and the families bereaved by the many acts of violence, such as the bombings in Dublin and Monaghan. That human suffering is still felt to this very day and our thoughts are with the victims of the many atrocities perpetrated over the course of the troubles and their families.
Mr. Justice Henry Barron carried out a detailed and painstaking independent inquiry into those awful events and, indeed, other atrocities that took place between 1972 and 1976 in which so many innocent people lost their lives. Related matters were also investigated by a Commission of Investigation carried out by Patrick McEntee SC. Arising from the report of the Barron Inquiry and the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women’s Rights the Garda Commissioner appointed a dedicated liaison officer for the victims of the bombings in Dublin in 1972 and 1973 and in Dublin and Monaghan in 1974. This dedicated liaison service has been in place since then. It is currently provided by a Garda Superintendent based at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Dublin.
It is the policy of the Garda Síochána to provide effective liaison with the victims of crime and their families. The Garda Síochána is strongly aware of the importance of victims in the criminal justice system and will continue to make efforts to ensure their needs are met, particularly in respect of making information available to them. The Garda authorities are conscious of the need to ensure that the liaison process is operated in order to best address the needs of the individual victims while at the same time ensuring that criminal investigations would not be in any way compromised.
In achieving this and in the interests of operational effectiveness, Garda liaison with the victims of serious crime and their families, such as those crimes related to the conflict in Northern Ireland, is provided directly to them from the Garda Division and investigation team which is investigating the case at hand. The Gardaí in the Division which is investigating a case are in possession of the detailed and up-to-date information with regard to it and are, therefore, best placed to interact with the victims and their families. Such interaction is done directly by or under the supervision of the relevant Garda Superintendent.
I am sure the Deputy will agree that we must always be conscious that the victims of crime are individuals with individual needs and that any approach must take into account the specific requirements of the individuals themselves. As part of the Government's comprehensive programme of reform in the areas of policing and justice in the State, I have indicated my intention to bring forward new legislation in relation to the remit of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. One of the issues being considered in the context of this project is the basis on which complaints can be dealt with by the Ombudsman Commission. However, it will be appreciated that I must, of course, continue to have regard to ongoing developments in relation to the general question of dealing with the past in terms of the troubles on this island.
459. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will move to implement the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality that the State recognise the ethnicity of the Traveller community. [26781/14]
View answerThe recommendations in the Report on the Recognition of Traveller Ethnicity by the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality will be considered as part of the overall consideration of this issue which is underway in my Department. I hope that the examination of all relevant issues will be brought to a conclusion shortly, facilitating a full analysis of all aspects of granting ethnic status to Travellers to inform any proposals on the matter that I may wish to bring to Government.
460. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will move to implement the 2013 proposals from the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on changes to our laws on prostitution. [26785/14]
View answerI am examining the recommendations made by the Justice Committee regarding a new approach to prostitution legislation. When I have had the opportunity to properly consider all of the issues, legislative proposals will be brought to Government in the usual way.
461. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will move to implement the 2013 proposals from the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on penal law reforms. [26786/14]
View answerIn line with the recommendations of the Thornton Hall Project Review Group, a Working Group was established to carry out a strategic review of penal policy. That Group was asked to make recommendations as to how a sustainable penal system might be further enhanced taking into account resource implications, Constitutional imperatives and international obligations. The Working Group was asked to examine the role of penal policy in crime prevention, sentencing policies, alternatives to custody, custodial accommodation and regimes, reintegration and rehabilitation as well as any special issues relating to female offenders. This Group is expected to report shortly and the recommendations of that Group will be considered in conjunction with the Report on Penal Reform from the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence.
462. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to update incitement to hatred legislation. [26787/14]
View answerA cross-Departmental review of Ireland’s Integration Strategy, including measures to address racism, is being led by my Department’s Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration. As well as the cross-Departmental review, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality is doing work on integration, multi-culturalism and combatting racism. The issue of strengthening the law to combat racism, including the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989, will be considered in the context of the outcome of these reviews.
463. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the action she will take to tackle the rising gun crime in parts of Dublin city after the shooting of a six year old recently in the city; if she has met with the superintendent in the area and all public representatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26788/14]
View answer502. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which adequate resources remain available to An Garda Síochána to combat gun crime and the organised activity of criminal gangs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27400/14]
View answer505. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which An Garda Síochána has adequate resources to meet the challenges of organised criminal activity with particular reference to gun crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27403/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 463, 502 and 505 together.
As I have already stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 78 of today's date, the House will not need reminding of the consequences of gun crime, and will join with me, I am sure, in expressing our collective outrage at the appalling recent incident which resulted in a child being shot. Our sympathy is with this young boy and his family, and as I outlined to the House last week, An Garda Síochána is determined to bring to justice those involved. I have also indicated my willingness to meet members of the local community.
While the challenges faced are very real, Gardaí tackle organised and gun crime through a range of targeted and intelligence based operations, often disrupting and preventing incidents, as well as detecting and prosecuting those involved. I recently discussed the challenges presented by this type of crime, and particularly its association with organised crime, with the Acting Commissioner, who outlined the substantial efforts being made by An Garda Síochána to identify and target those involved.
Addressing organised crime is a key ongoing priority for An Garda Síochána and this priority is clearly reflected in the Garda Policing Plan for 2014. This priority is given effect through a range of targeted activities designed to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations. This involves the use of focused intelligence led operations by specialist units such as the Organised Crime Unit, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the work of the Criminal Assets Bureau and international cooperation including through Garda liaison officers based in other jurisdictions and in bodies such as Interpol and Europol.
We all appreciate the concern that gun crime gives rise to in the community but it is only right that we also we acknowledge that the number of crime incidents in which a firearm was involved was last seen down, by more than 7%. It is also important to note that, in addition to law enforcement and criminal investigation, the Gardaí work closely with local communities to address local concerns about crime and community safety, including through schemes to divert young people from getting involved in criminality.
It is clear to all that gun crime has for some time been an inherent part of organised criminal activity in this jurisdiction, as it is in other similar countries. This demands a robust response and this is precisely what is happening. Considerable powers and investigative tools are available to An Garda Síochána, to which we have recently added the DNA database legislation. The Gardaí make extensive use of these powers to tackle and disrupt organised crime, with persons regularly brought before the courts and substantial sentences handed down. I can assure the Deputy that confronting organised crime and the harm it causes is a priority for the Government and will certainly be a priority for me as Minister for Justice and Equality.
465. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the recent drugs seizure by members of An Garda Síochána in the village of Newtownforbes, when she will provide security cameras in the village to dispel the fears of the residents. [26813/14]
View answerGarda CCTV systems are planned and implemented on the basis of the Garda Commissioner's identified operational needs and priorities. Accordingly, decisions in relation to the introduction or extension of such systems are a matter for the Garda authorities. I am advised that whilst there are currently no plans to install a Garda CCTV system in the area referred to, the question of further extending Garda CCTV schemes is kept under ongoing review in the context of overall policing requirements.
