Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2017
294. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 48 of 18 May 2017, if he has received the promised report from the Garda authorities on this matter; if so, the conclusions of this report; the steps his Department and An Garda Síochána will take on foot of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31340/17]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the CSO postponed the release of the latest Quarterly Recorded Crime Statistics, which was due on 28 June 2017. I am advised that this postponement arose because the ongoing Garda review is not yet complete and, therefore, it was not possible to conduct the normal CSO data verification process in advance of the publication of new crime statistics.
I note that these issues are under close scrutiny by the Policing Authority, and that the Garda authorities have undertaken to provide further information to the Authority, as well as the CSO. I also expect to receive further updates from the Garda authorities as this work is progressed. Given the Policing Authority’s important oversight role, which this Government established, I am sure the Deputy will agree that it is entirely appropriate that this matter is the subject of careful examination and inquiry by the Authority.
We must bear in mind that issues with the consistent recording of crime data are not unique to this jurisdiction, and I am assured that there is continuing close engagement by the CSO with An Garda Síochána in relation to this matter and to support the ongoing improvements to our official crime statistics generally. The CSO has already carried out two detailed reviews of crime data quality, in 2015 and 2016, and I understand that further general reviews of crime data quality are planned. The CSO’s work provides an important measure of re-assurance to support ongoing work to enhance the quality of the official crime statistics.
As previously outlined to the Deputy, the CSO also chaired an Expert Group on Crime Statistics which has considered a number of the Garda Inspectorate’s recommendations on crime statistics, including in relation to the crime counting rules. I am advised that the Expert Group has prepared a report, and I expect this will be published in the coming weeks.
