Clare Daly
Question:
451. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the funding allocated for high-quality training on domestic and sexual violence to An Garda Síochána in 2017 and 2018; the number of gardaí who received such training in these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24274/18]
View answer
As the Deputy is aware the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the training of personnel within An Garda Síochána and I, as Minister have no direct role in the matter.
I have asked the Garda Commissioner for the specific information requested and when it is to hand I will inform the Deputy accordingly.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 451 for answer on 12 June 2018 regarding the funding allocated for high quality training on domestic and sexual violence to An Garda Síochána in 2017 and 2018 and the number of Gardaí which received such training in these years.
As the Deputy will recall, I undertook to contact her again when the details were to hand. I apologise for the time required to provide her with the information requested.
As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána including by arranging for the training of the members and civilian staff of An Garda Síochána. I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am advised by the Commissioner that the Garda College delivers training to all Trainee Gardaí in relation to domestic and sexual violence as part of the BA in Applied Policing duty Phase I of their training. Domestic Violence training is covered in the “Policing with Communities” Module of the programme and covers all relevant HQ Directives, policy and legislation. Sexual assaults are covered in the Crime and Incident Policing Module of the programme and covers all relevant HQ Directives, policy and legislation. It is not possible to quantify the costs for individual portions of courses which are delivered as part of longer running courses such as the BA or delivered as part of the Phase III probationary period.
I am further informed that in addition to this, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre delivers a presentation to Trainee Gardaí in their initial Phase of training in relation to the services provided to victims of sexual violence.
797 Trainee Gardaí received the above training in 2017 and a further 394 Trainee Gardaí had received the above training as of 6 November 2018
Probationer Gardaí, while undergoing Phase III of their training at the Garda College, receive one-week training on the Investigation of Sexual Crime, consisting of two days Children First Training, various lectures and instruction from qualified staff members, as well as external agencies involved in support services for the victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. This includes presentations and lectures from agencies such as Women’s Aid Dublin, ADAPT House Limerick and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, as well as frontline medical staff from the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at both the Rotunda and Crumlin Children’s Hospital.
350 Probationer Gardaí received the above training in 2017 and a further 300 Probationer Gardaí received the above training in 2018.
The Commissioner has further informed me that all Garda personnel receive training in the investigation of incidents considered domestic abuse, in all its forms, with additional training provided to Gardaí selected for duties as detectives. Similarly, additional and more specific training has been developed by the Director of Training with the senior management team at the Garda National Protective Services Bureau for the training to be provided to personnel selected for duty with the Divisional Protective Services Units. Induction training has been provided for the personnel selected for these Units, with a briefing being provided to all relevant State Agencies and NGOs.
The following table outlines training provided to members attached to the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) with regard to domestic and sexual violence for 2017 and 2018.
*Divisional Protective Services Unit
|
-
|
2017
|
2018
|
Comment
|
|
Detective Training
|
1
|
10
|
Sexual and Domestic Violence training forms part of the Detective Training Course
|
|
Specialist Interviewing (child & vulnerable persons)
|
|
4
|
This training is specific to interviewing victims of all crime, including sexual and domestic violence crimes
|
|
Level 3 Interviewing for witnesses and suspects
|
6
|
6
|
Interviewing for witnesses and suspects of all crime, including sexual and domestic violence crimes
|
|
Enhanced Cognitive Interviewing
|
12
|
12
|
Cognitive Interview (CI) is a method of interviewing eyewitnesses and victims about what they remember from a crime scene, including sexual and domestic violence crimes
|
|
*DPSU Training Domestic Abuse Module
|
40
|
0
|
Training in all aspects of Domestic Abuse, including legislation and procedure.
|
I trust that this information is of assistance.
