Written Answers Nos. 264-281
264. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a copy of correspondence of 7 October 2015 confirming residency can issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39411/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned had his permission to remain in the State renewed for a three year period, to 25 October, 2018. This decision was conveyed in writing to the person concerned by letter dated 7 October, 2015. This communication advised the person concerned of the conditions attaching to his permission to remain and of the requirement that he attend at his local Garda Registration Office to have the registration process completed. This person was also advised that future renewals of the permission to remain should be applied for two weeks in advance of the permission expiring to the local District Headquarters station.
This individual was also informed that the Certificate is an important document and should be kept safely along with the original leave to remain letter from the INIS. It is the current policy of this department not to re-issue permission letters unless the original letter is returned to the department. The letter has to date not been returned to this Department. Therefore there is no onus on this department to re-issue the permission letter at this current time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
265. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the reason an application by a person (details supplied) for Garda vetting sent in June 2017 has not to date been processed will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39425/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the processing of vetting applications by the Garda National Vetting Bureau is an operational matter for the Garda Authorities and is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012-2016 and other relevant law. My Department has no role in the processing of individual vetting applications.
I am advised by the Garda Authorities that records at the Garda National Vetting Bureau indicate that no valid Garda vetting application has been received in respect of the person who is the subject of the Deputy's Question. In the circumstances, I would advise the person concerned to contact the relevant Registered Organisation to ascertain the status of their vetting application.
266. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the waiting times for processing entry visas in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service; and the way in which this compares to 12 months ago. [39444/18]
View answerDecisions regarding the grant or refusal of visas are made in a number of INIS Visa Offices overseas, the INIS Visa Office in Dublin, and at Embassies of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which process certain visa applications under delegated sanction from my Department.
The processing times for visa decisions are published on the Visa pages of each Visa Office and Embassy website. The following table sets out the processing dates as of 1 October, 2018 and, for comparison, on 3 October, 2017 up to which applications received in the Dublin Visa Office had been processed.
|
Purpose of visa applications |
Processing Date as at 1 October 2018 |
Processing Date as at 3 October 2017 |
|
Visit |
26 September |
8 August |
|
Business |
10 September |
14 September |
|
Conference/Event |
10 September |
21 August |
|
Join Family (under national legislation) |
10 April |
13 March |
|
Join Family (EU Free Movement) |
See note below |
|
|
Study |
5 September |
8 August |
|
Employment |
10 September |
18 September |
|
Other* |
10 September |
21 August |
*Includes training; exam; performance/tournament; and sundry applications.
It should be noted that target times for visa processing are established as a business target reflecting the detailed and often complex assessment required to be carried out in relation to applications and do not constitute a legal obligation.
I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa service is currently experiencing an increase in the number of visa applications across most categories of persons wishing to come to Ireland for a variety of purposes and in line with increased economic activity generally. Notwithstanding, processing times are on a par and in many cases have been significantly improved upon compared to those at the corresponding date last year.
The processing time at each office and location worldwide is determined by a number of factors, such as the volumes and complexity of applications, whether investigation is required or not, individual circumstances, peak application periods - now just coming off the busiest time of the year for visa applications generally - seasonal factors, and the resources available. While every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, processing times inevitably vary as a result.
In relation to applications under the Free Movement Directive (2004/38/EC), there had been an exponential increase from the second quarter of 2015 in the number of such applications. That gave rise to a caseload of around 10,500 applications which had to be assessed very carefully to ensure that any fraudulent applications or potential abuses of the Directive were detected and dealt with appropriately. Considerable progress has being made in that regard with the majority of these applications now processed.
The central concern, as with all visa services worldwide, in deciding on visa applications is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime while at the same time facilitating travel for those who meet the criteria. Each visa application is therefore decided on its own merits taking all factors into account.
267. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a review of an application for naturalisation by a person (details supplied) will conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39487/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation on behalf of the person referred to by the Deputy. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received.
It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a certificate of naturalisation 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, which governs the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation.
Detailed information on Irish citizenship and naturalisation, as well as the relevant application forms, is available on the INIS website at www.inis.gov.ie. The website also contains guidance on the completion of an application for naturalisation and an on-line naturalisation residency calculator which individuals may find of assistance in establishing if the statutory residency requirements are met.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
268. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of each seminar held on Project Ireland 2040, up to and including September 2018, by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39587/18]
View answerMy Department has not been responsible for any expenditure in connection with Project Ireland 2040 seminars.
269. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount paid to a company (details supplied) from 1 January 2014 to 25 September 2018 for public relations advice, briefing notes and speech writing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39627/18]
View answerMy Department has not incurred any costs in relation to the provision of briefing notes or speech-writing from the company mentioned since January 2014. The following table details spend incurred in respect of communications advice with the company mentioned since 2014.
|
DATE |
COST |
PURPOSE |
|
Jul-17 |
€2,691 |
Communications Strategy Development for the Irish Refugee Protection Programme |
|
Oct-17 |
€24,221 |
Communications Strategy Development for the Irish Refugee Protection Programme |
|
TOTAL |
€26,912 |
A further €1,718 was paid to that company in respect of training courses for Departmental staff over the period in question, while the company was also paid €1,374 in respect of consultancy and facilitation services for a meeting with the deaf community in February 2015.
In relation to the services referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy, I understand those costs were met through the Oireachtas Special Secretarial Allowance.
270. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount spent by his Department on third party public relations advice, communications advice, online advertising and public awareness campaigns to date in 2018, by month and company engaged in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39643/18]
View answerThe following table details relevant expenditure in my Department since January 2018. The work contracted has allowed valuable public attention to be drawn to important issues such as human trafficking, domestic violence and the work of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland:
|
Date |
Cost |
Name of Campaign / Purpose |
Company/Organisation |
|
01 January 2018 |
€7,000.00 |
Funding for UN.GIFT box campaign, March 2017 |
Act to Prevent Trafficking/Association of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland |
|
17 January 2018 |
€29.52 |
Printing of A3/A4 posters for public events - Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Snap Charlemont |
|
26 January 2018 |
€1,094.70 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Midlands 103 |
|
26 January 2018 |
€33.21 |
Printing of A3/A4 posters for public events - Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Snap Charlemont |
|
29 January 2018 |
€1,377.60 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
News UK & Ireland Limited |
|
01 February 2018 |
€5,018.40 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01 February 2018 |
€18,556.00 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
12 February 2018 |
€912.54 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Galway Bay FM |
|
12 February 2018 |
€836.40 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Midland Radio Group Ltd |
|
14 February 2018 |
€19,902.63 |
PR Consultancy (professional fee) [Dec '17 to Jan '18] Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Drury Porter Novelli |
|
19 February 2018 |
€984.00 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
South East Broadcasting Co Ltd |
|
21 February 2018 |
€54.78 |
Printing of A3/A4 posters for public events |
Snap Charlemont |
|
23 February 2018 |
€806.88 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Highland Radio |
|
23 February 2018 |
€910.20 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Midland Radio Group Ltd |
|
28 February 2018 |
€1,063.95 |
Advert for Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
News UK & Ireland Limited |
|
01 March 2018 |
€5,018.40 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01 March 2018 |
€3,378.20 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
26 March 2018 |
€12,713.28 |
PR Consultancy (professional fee) [Jan ’18 – Feb ‘18] Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Drury Porter Novelli |
|
01 April 2018 |
€63,715.85 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
20 April 2018 |
€5,687.52 |
PR Consultancy (professional fee) [Feb ’18 – Mar ‘18] Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Drury Porter Novelli |
|
01 May 2018 |
€218,709.59 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
18 May 2018 |
€4,683.84 |
PR Consultancy (professional fee) [Mar ’18 – Apr ‘18] Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Drury Porter Novelli |
|
01 June 2018 |
€2,148.81 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01 June 2018 |
€56,826.26 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
27 June 2018 |
€1,338.24 |
PR Consultancy (professional fee) [Apr ’18 – May ‘18]Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Drury Porter Novelli |
|
01 July 2018 |
€1,230.00 |
Consultancy regarding contract renewal relating to National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
Ebiquity Marsh |
|
01 July 2018 |
€103,798.13 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd* |
|
18 July 2018 |
€1,672.80 |
PR Consultancy (professional fee) [May ’18 – Jun ‘18] Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Drury Porter Novelli |
|
01 August 2018 |
€17,752.74 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01 August 2018 |
€3,800.70 |
Anti-Human Trafficking - Blue blindfold campaign materials |
LogoPrint |
|
13 August 2018 |
€1,003.68 |
PR Consultancy (professional fee) [Jun ’18 – Jul ‘18] Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland |
Drury Porter Novelli |
|
01 September 2018 |
€37,945.81 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd* |
|
3rd September 2018 |
€32,707.14 |
Advertisement of the Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-gratia Scheme in national and UK publications |
Mediavest Ltd T/A Spark Foundry |
|
TOTAL |
€632,711.80 |
*Includes Dormant Accounts Funding |
271. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 484 of 12 June 2018, if his attention has been drawn to the downgrading of the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39662/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda resources across the various Garda divisions are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources.
Further, station designations or status is a matter for the office of Deputy Commissioner Policing and Security, in conjunction with District and Divisional Officers, having regard to the policing requirements of the area and the surrounding communities. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matter.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that on foot of a district and station rationalisation programme, Thurles and Templemore Districts were amalgamated, with the sub-districts of Templemore split between Thurles and Nenagh Garda Districts.
I am further informed that Roscrea Garda Station was formerly a sub-district of Templemore Garda District. Due to the recent boundary changes, Roscrea is now a sub-district of Nenagh Garda District.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that there has been no downgrading of Roscrea station, which I understand operates on a 24-hour basis.
272. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the drafting of the criminal justice (community sanctions) Bill will be complete; when he plans to introduce it at First Stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39666/18]
View answerThe Government has approved the drafting of a Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill to replace the Probation of Offenders Act 1907 with modern provisions dealing with community sanctions and the role of the Probation Service in the criminal justice system. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. This Bill is at an early stage in the drafting process and as such it is not possible to estimate a timeframe for publication.
273. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of 1400 cc and 1500 cc motorcycles within the Garda fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39670/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that there has been very significant investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years.
The Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet, to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet. This is in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015. In total in the period 2013 - 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream to ensure that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.
As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles, including motorcycles, across the various Garda divisions are a matter for the Garda Commissioner, in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter. I am however informed that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of 26 September 2018, there are 129 motorcycles attached to the Garda fleet.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that the largest motorcycles in the fleet are 1200 cc. Thus there are no motorcycles of the type specified by the Deputy within the Garda fleet.
274. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a person (details supplied) will receive correspondence confirming the person's permission to remain here in view of the fact that the person has been granted permission to remain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39689/18]
View answerIf an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State, for confidentiality reasons it is not the practice to comment on such applications and the applicant or their legal representative should contact the International Protection Office directly either by email to info@ipo.gov.ie, by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.
Following the commencement of the International Protection Act 2015 on 31 December 2016, new arrangements for the investigation and determination of applications for international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection) and cases involving permission to remain in the State have been introduced. Such applications are now processed, as part of a single application procedure, by a the International Protection Office (IPO) which has replaced the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) from that date. The staff of that Office (the Chief International Protection Officer and International Protection Officers) are independent in the performance of their protection functions.
For your information, on 27 February 2017, the Chief International Protection Officer, following consultation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published a statement on the Prioritisation of Applications under the International Protection Act 2015 which is available on the website of the International Protection Office (www.ipo.gov.ie).
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
275. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the GSOC investigation into a matter (detail supplied) and in view of the fact that the former acting Garda Commissioner failed to respond to a request from the chairperson of GSOC, to issue the family with an apology. [39729/18]
View answerThe case to which the Deputy refers was amongst complaints considered by independent counsel under the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM). The Deputy will recall that the IRM was established to consider complaints made against the Garda Síochána and to recommend what action, if any, the Minister should take in relation to each complaint.
In accordance with the recommendation of counsel for the IRM, this particular case was referred to GSOC by my predecessor for investigation under section 102 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.
I have received a report outlining the findings of this investigation. A copy of the report was also sent to the family concerned. I should emphasise, however, that GSOC does not consider this matter closed so I cannot say anything that might prejudice the ongoing matter.
In accordance with section 97 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, GSOC wrote to the former Acting Commissioner of An Garda Síochána to provide him with a report into these matters, to outline a number of issues arising from this investigation and to make recommendations to An Garda Síochána. I understand that GSOC is currently awaiting a full response from the newly-appointed Garda Commissioner in this regard. I also understand that GSOC intends to issue a further update in relation to this matter when this response is received.
As the Deputy is aware, GSOC is an independent statutory body and the manner in which they conduct their investigation is a matter for them. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that in the circumstances it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time. I can assure the Deputy, however, that I will consider this matter fully upon receipt of a final update report on the case from GSOC.
276. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of marked and unmarked Garda jeeps that came into the fleet in 2017 and to date in 2018; and the number withdrawn during the same period. [39739/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that there has been very significant investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years. The Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet, to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet, in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015. In total in the period 2013 to the end of 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream in that period to ensure that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.
As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles across the various Garda divisions are a matter for the Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter.
I understand that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources. The responsibility for the efficient deployment of all official Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between districts and stations as required by operational requirements.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following tables outline the number of marked and unmarked 4x4s that came into the Garda fleet in 2017 and to date in 2018 and the number withdrawn during the same period.
4x4s allocated to the Garda fleet 2017 and 2018 (to date)
|
Year |
Marked |
Unmarked |
Total |
|
2017 |
9 |
2 |
11 |
|
2018 (to date) |
20 |
0 |
20 |
4x4s withdrawn from the Garda fleet 2017 and 2018 (to date)
|
Year |
Marked |
Unmarked |
Total |
|
2017 |
9 |
10 |
19 |
|
2018 (to date) |
7 |
3 |
10 |
277. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of four-wheel drive vehicles available for use in each Garda district in Dublin as of 21 September 2018. [39740/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that there has been very significant investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years. The Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet, to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet, in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 - 2015. In total in the period 2013 - 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream in that period to ensure that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.
As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles across the various Garda divisions are a matter for the Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter.
I understand however that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure their optimum use. Responsibility for the efficient deployment of all official Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between districts and stations as required by operational requirements.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table outlines the number of four wheel drive vehicles, including cars and 4x4s, available for use by Division in the Dublin Metropolitan Region as at 27 September 2018. The allocation of vehicles within a Division is a matter for the Divisional Officer.
|
Total |
|
|
DMR TOTAL |
13 |
|
DMR East Division |
1 |
|
DMR North Division |
1 |
|
DMR North Central Division |
4 |
|
DMR South Division |
2 |
|
DMR South Central Division |
1 |
|
DMR Traffic Division |
4 |
278. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the initial cost of a Garda-controlled CCTV system; and the estimated annual cost of same. [39741/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda resources, including the installation of Garda CCTV systems, are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter.
I understand from the Garda authorities that it is difficult to provide the specific figure requested, as the requirements for each proposed CCTV system depend on a range of location-specific factors. A specification and associated projected cost could be estimated only following full survey and design.
In particular, I am informed that CCTV systems are complex by their nature. I am informed that among the key issues to be considered in any case and which would impact on costs are the physical nature of the areas to be covered by CCTV, provision of a suitable gantry or pole where necessary, the availability of electrical power and availability of a network route to transmit the CCTV images to the Garda control point and to transmit commands to the camera in the case of remote control.
Accordingly, given the range of factors which can impact on costs, it is not possible to provide an initial or annual cost for Garda controlled CCTV systems. However, I can confirm that the Garda Vote contains an annual allocation of some €1.5 million for the maintenance and upgrade of Garda CCTV systems.
279. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda command-and-control vehicles purchased in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; and the number withdrawn during the same period. [39742/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that there has been very significant investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years. The Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet, to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet, in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015. In total in the period 2013 - 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream to ensure that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.
As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles across the various Garda divisions are a matter for the Commissioner in light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter.
I understand however that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure their optimum use. Responsibility for the efficient deployment of all official vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between districts and stations as required by operational requirements.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that no new command and control vehicles were allocated in 2016 or 2017 and that 1 new vehicle set up as a command vehicle was allocated to Dublin Metropolitan Region in 2018.
I further understand from the Garda authorities that no command and control vehicles have been removed from service in the period 2016 to date.
The total number of Garda vehicles at 31 July 2018 was 2,771.
280. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the level of firearm training provided to armed Garda personnel in each of the years 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; the number of gardaí by grade or rank with firearms training; the types of weapon they are trained to carry and or use; the company engaged to provide training; the cost of training on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39747/18]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including by arranging for the training of its members and civilian staff and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
Training is provided by Firearms Instructors attached to the Garda College and the Emergency Response Unit under the control of the Director of Training, Garda College.
Following a recent audit conducted at the Garda College figures show there are approximately 2700 personnel that are currently authorised to carry firearms. This can increase to approx. 3500 depending on operational requirements. This caters for all ranks of Gardaí who carry firearms.
Members attached to regular units and Detective units are trained in handguns only, namely Smith & Wesson revolver, Sig Sauer & Walther semi-automatic pistol.
Specialist Units such as Emergency Response Unit and the Armed Support Unit are trained in Sig Pistol, H&K MP7 Sub-machine gun, Taser and 40 mm direct impact munitions (Less Lethal options).
For the Deputy's information, listed as follows are figures for attendance at firearms training in each of the years 2016, 2017 and to 31 August 2018.
2016 - 7851
2017 - 10555
2018 - 6891 as of 31 August 2018.
The increase in 2017 is as a result of the increase in ASU (Armed Support Unit). Each member attends more than one training course each year.
I have sought the information requested by the Deputy regarding the cost of training on an annual basis from the Commissioner and I will write to the Deputy on receipt of same.
281. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the State paid a financial settlement to a person (details supplied) as a result of legal action the person took in 2009 against a number of Irish persons regarding their activities in the Seychelles. [39751/18]
View answerBased on the information provided by the Deputy, my Department has not found records relating to any action taken by the individuals concerned. That said, if the Deputy can provide further information in relation to the case, I will inquire into the matter further.
