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Garda Operations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021

Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Questions (685)

Pa Daly

Question:

685. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the number of adult cautions issued per Garda division in each of the years 2015 to 2020, in tabular form [44839/20]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, the Adult Caution Scheme was introduced to An Garda Síochána in 2006 having been approved by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).  The operation of the scheme is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána and the DPP, both of which are independent in the exercise of their functions. 

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below shows relevant Adult Caution counts by Garda Region/Division. Counts are based on PULSE data as of 1:30am on the 4th January 2021.  

Data was collated from PULSE for incidents (of any crime category) for the years 2015 to 2020 where the suspected offender or offenders were issued with an Adult Caution.

Region/Division  

   2015  

   2016  

   2017  

   2018  

   2019  

   2020*  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dublin Region

2,436

2,211

1,967

1,553

1,752

934

D.M.R. North Central

738

602

499

547

481

155

D.M.R. South Central

443

480

439

360

424

242

D.M.R. Northern

390

363

343

216

235

135

D.M.R. Western

383

325

262

163

319

182

D.M.R. Southern

289

237

212

184

210

152

D.M.R. Eastern

193

204

212

83

83

68

Eastern Region

1,409

1,418

1,535

1,387

1,526

736

Waterford

277

269

303

204

298

144

Kilkenny/Carlow

166

194

266

214

253

88

Kildare

209

187

202

190

189

95

Wexford

159

197

165

199

188

101

Laois/Offaly

159

141

193

175

209

101

Westmeath

165

177

148

126

167

100

Meath

146

131

131

174

132

41

Wicklow

128

122

127

105

90

66

North West Region

1,269

1,234

1,167

1,266

1,232

625

Galway

486

397

345

327

312

152

Donegal

199

204

210

233

218

100

Cavan/Monaghan

145

125

152

209

203

92

Louth

132

144

144

136

170

104

Mayo

133

167

119

115

122

60

Roscommon/Longford

78

113

129

99

93

59

Sligo/Leitrim

96

84

68

147

114

58

Southern Region

1,773

1,712

1,623

1,691

1,726

826

Cork City

502

495

503

587

567

280

Limerick

414

428

341

364

334

219

Tipperary

224

224

217

197

196

69

Cork North

199

151

176

125

174

94

Kerry

199

158

153

138

207

51

Cork West

121

133

133

171

143

56

Clare

114

123

100

109

105

57

Total (National)

6,887

6,575

6,292

5,897

6,236

3,121

*The various Covid related restrictions represent a unique set of circumstances which make comparison of the 2020 figures with other years difficult.

The Deputy may wish to note that following collaboration between An Garda Síochána and the Director of Public Prosecutions, an expansion of the Adult Cautioning Scheme to include four additional offences has now been approved:

- Offences contrary to section 13 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 (Trespass in a manner likely to cause fear);

- Offences under section 21 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 (Control of access to certain events);

- Offences under section 3 of the Casual Trading Act 1995 (Casual trading without a licence or contrary to the terms of the licence);

- Offences under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84 (Simple possession). This will relate to the possession of cannabis and cannabis resin only. 

An Adult Caution for any of these four offences can only be considered in respect of an offence committed on or after the 14 December 2020 and cannot be applied retrospectively.  An Garda Síochána will continue to work closely with the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to all elements of the Adult Caution Scheme.

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