Patrick Costello
Question:698. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí who have completed specialist human trafficking training by district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37845/20]
View answerTuesday, 24 November 2020
Questions (698)
Written answers
The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I have requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this matter but it was unfortunately not possible to compile it in the time available.
I will write to the Deputy directly with the information requested, when it is available.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
SUBSTANTIVE ANSWER:
I refer to your Parliamentary Questions No. 697 and 698 which were for answer on 24 November 2020, where you requested the number of Gardaí who have received specialist human trafficking training in each of the past five years; and the number of Gardaí who have received specialist human trafficking training by district.
As you may recall, the information you requested could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to contact you again when the information was to hand.
As you aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including by arranging for the training of its members and civilian staff . I have no direct role in these matters.
The requested information has now been provided by An Garda Síochána and accordingly, please note the following.
The Garda National Protection Services Bureau (GNPSB) through its dedicated section, the Human-trafficking Investigation and Co-ordination Unit (HTICU), provides specific human-trafficking training as part of the core curriculum to all Garda recruits during their development in the Garda College, Templemore, Co. Tipperary.
The training includes victim identification, awareness-raising, and relevant legislation and responsibilities under the Second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland.
Since its establishment in 2015, HTICU personnel have received specialist training from Europol, Interpol, CEPOL, the European Commission and the FBI as well as partaking in joint Human-trafficking training activities with the UK authorities and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Over the past five years HTICU personnel, with the assistance of invited specialist speakers have delivered a three day training course titled, “Tackling Trafficking in Human Beings, Prevention, Protection, Prosecution & Partnership” to Garda personnel.
I am advised that due to a combination of factors, such as trained members transferring between Districts, it is not possible to provide the details requested by the Deputy with regard to the numbers of personnel by district, and that efforts to gather this data would require a disproportionate expenditure of Garda resources and time.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information provided in the attached Appendix set out the number of Garda personnel who have attended the 3 day training course entitled ‘ Tackling Trafficking in Human Beings, Prevention, Protection, Prosecution & Partnership’; and the Number of Garda recruits who have received awareness-raising training.
I trust that this information is of assistance.
Appendix
Table 1:
The Number of Garda personnel who have attended the 3 day training course entitled ‘Tackling Trafficking in Human Beings, Prevention, Protection, Prosecution & Partnership’
|
Year |
Number |
|
2019 |
58 |
|
2018 |
127 |
|
2017* |
139 |
|
2016 |
69 |
|
2015 |
148 |
|
Total |
541 |
*In 2017, 38 Detective Sergeants also received intensive 1 day human-trafficking training.
Table 2:
Number of Garda recruits who have
received awareness- raising training
|
Year |
Number |
|
2019 |
650 |
|
2018 |
525 |
|
2017 |
242 |
|
2016 |
300 |
|
2015 |
50 |
|
Total |
1767 |