Written Answers Nos. 1402-1420
1404. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice the number of candidates that were on the An Garda Síochána recruitment panel at 31 January 2021 subject to Covid-19 public health regulations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18790/21]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including recruitment and human resources matters, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
As the Deputy will appreciate, recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) manages the initial recruitment stages for selection of Garda Trainees. The final stages of the recruitment process in which candidates are vetted, complete a physical competency test and a medical examination, are managed by the Commissioner.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are currently 782 Garda Trainee applicants on the recruitment panel to enter the Garda College. At this time, I am informed that An Garda Síochána will be in a position to take in 450 new Trainees over the course of 2021, however these plans will be kept under review in light of the situation which may be in place with regard to COVID-19 restrictions. The remainder of the panel will be considered for any vacancies that will arise in 2022.
I am informed that the schedule for these currently anticipated intakes is as follows:
|
Date |
Garda Trainees |
|
24 May 2021 |
150 |
|
19 July 2021 |
75 |
|
20 September 2021 |
150 |
|
15 November 2021 |
75 |
|
Total |
450 |
1405. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice the number of audio-visual appeal hearings which have been conducted by the International Protection Appeals Tribunal in 2020 and in January and February 2021; the number of those hearings which were conducted in a language other than English; the reason her Department has not been in a position to facilitate interpretation services for the Tribunal to conduct appeals in languages other than English; if she is satisfied with the progress of the Tribunal conducting appeals audio-visually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18791/21]
View answer1406. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice the number of appeals currently extant before the International Protections Appeals Tribunal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18792/21]
View answer1407. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice if administrative staff, part-time members and full-time members of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal are treated as employees of her Department for any contractual, payroll, pension or administrative purposes; if the administrative staff of the Tribunal are eligible for promotion or transfer opportunities within her Department on the same basis as other civil servants in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18793/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1405 to 1407, inclusive, together.
The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) is a statutorily independent body and exercises a quasi-judicial function under the International Protection Act 2015.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy I have had enquiries made and I am informed by the Tribunal that between November 2020 and 15 April 2021, the Tribunal has successfully conducted 63 hearings by way of audio video facilities (4 in 2020 and the remaining 59 between January and 15 April of this year). The Tribunal was designated as a body under s.31 of the Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020, which will assist it in the greater use of audio video hearings, where necessary due to Covid-19 restrictions or otherwise. The Tribunal currently has 1,687 appeals on hand.
To date, the IPAT has not been able to conduct audio video hearings in languages other than English. My Department is subject to a number of obligations in the delivery of its services, including complying with the rules governing public procurement and adhering to the general principles set out in the Treaty of Rome. In order to meet these obligations, my Department is currently running a competition to procure audio video interpretation services for the Tribunal to facilitate interpretation services for the tribunal to conduct appeals in languages other than English.
With regard to the Deputy's questions on staffing, I can confirm that the position of part time Tribunal Member of IPAT is a statutory position created under the International Protection Act 2015. Tribunal Members are appointed by the Minister for Justice, following a public competition by the Public Appointments Service, in accordance with section 62(4) of the 2015 Act.
Members are appointed for a term of three years on the terms and conditions determined by the Minister for Justice. Pursuant to section 62(7) of the Act, Tribunal Members may be re-appointed for a second term not exceeding three years, though there is no guarantee of re-appointment.
Each member of the Tribunal appointed in a part-time capacity holds office under a contract for services in writing, containing such terms and conditions as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, may determine. Part time members are paid on a fee per item basis in respect of completed decisions.
The whole time members of the Tribunal are employees of my Department, on fixed-term contracts; their pay and pensions entitlements are analogous to established Civil Service pay grades, as specified in their respective contracts and they have access to the same statutory entitlements, administrative and employee supports as all Department employees.
The Tribunal is supported by administrative staff who are employees of my Department. These staff are subject to, and benefit from the same contractual, payroll, pension and administrative requirements and supports as other civil servants employed by my Department. They are eligible for promotion or transfer opportunities on the same basis as other civil servants in my Department.
1408. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice when Ireland was required under EU law to enact legislation giving effect to the EU directive on the repatriation of sentenced persons; when the EU commenced taking enforcement proceedings against Ireland for not enacting such legislation; when she plans to publish a bill to comply with EU obligations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18878/21]
View answerCouncil Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA of 27 November 2008 relates to the application of the principle of mutual recognition to judgments in criminal matters imposing custodial sentences or measures involving deprivation of liberty for the purpose of their enforcement in the European Union. Legislation to transpose Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA is being progressed and is on the most recent Government Legislative Programme Priority List for publication.
Officials in my Department are currently working with the Office of the Attorney General with a view to progressing this matter so that a finalised Bill can be brought to Government in May and presented to the Oireachtas as soon as possible thereafter.
Ireland currently operates the 1983 Council of Europe Convention (as amended), which provides that individuals convicted of an offence in another Convention state, and for which they have received a custodial sentence, may be transferred to the state in which they are normally resident to serve that sentence. The 1983 convention is provided for by the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act 1995, under which the consent of the sentenced person is required before a transfer can take place.
The Framework Decision extends the circumstances in which a person may be transferred back to their resident EU Member State to serve a custodial sentence imposed in another EU Member State. Under the Framework Decision the consent of the sentenced person will not be required where the request for execution of the sentence is sent to that person’s state of nationality. When transposed this will be a separate mechanism to that which currently exists under the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Convention which will replace those arrangements for transferring sentenced persons between EU Member States.
The deadline for transposition of the Framework Decision was 5 December 2011, but as it was agreed under the old Third Pillar it was not, at the time of agreement, subject to enforcement proceedings by the European Institutions. This changed under the Lisbon Treaty and the Framework Decision became subject to enforcement proceedings from 1 December 2014. The European Commission commenced infringement proceedings against Ireland for failure to notify transposal of the measure on 25 January 2019 and subsequently issued a Reasoned Opinion on 25 July 2019. The Commission has, as of December 2020, referred the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union and papers were issued on 2 March 2021.
1409. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of checks An Garda Síochána undertook in 2021 before mandatory hotel quarantine was in place to check if persons that travelled here from designated countries were quarantining in their home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18898/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, An Garda Síochána is responsible for policing the public health regulations made under the Health Act 1947. As Minister, I have no direct role in these operational matters, which are the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner and his management team.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána has been receiving information from the Department of Health since 24 February 2021 on persons whose compliance with a requirement to quarantine at home after arriving into the State could not be established. Checks are currently being conducted in a number of divisions on a pilot basis.
Up to the 25 March 2021, the day before mandatory hotel quarantine was introduced, 902 such quarantine checks had been completed.
1410. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number and value of fines issued to date in 2021 for failing to abide by the mandatory home quarantine requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18899/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government's response to the Covid pandemic is led by my colleague, the Minister for Health. Minister Donnelly has made a number of regulations as part of the public health response to the pandemic under the Health Act 1947 (as amended), including a number of penal provisions which are designated as fixed charge offences.
I can confirm, however, that there is no fixed charge offence of 'failing to abide by the mandatory home quarantine requirement' under the regulations under the Health Act 1947 (as amended) as introduced by Minister Donnelly. Consequently, no fixed charge offence fines have been issued for 'failing to abide by the mandatory home quarantine requirement'.
Statutory Instrument 135 of 2021 provides, in Regulation 9(1), that a 'relevant traveller' (other than certain exempted categories) shall remain at their place of residence for 14 days after their arrival into the State and this is a penal provision under Section 38A of the Health Act 1947, as amended.
Any person under Section 31A "(6)(d) in purported compliance with a requirement under regulations under subsection (1), gives information to a relevant person that, to the first-mentioned person's knowledge, is false or misleading in any material particular," shall be guilty of an offence.
Under Section 31A "(7) A member of the Garda Síochána who suspects, with reasonable cause, that a person is contravening or has contravened a provision of a regulation made under subsection (1) that is stated to be a penal provision, may, for the purposes of ensuring compliance with the regulation, direct the person to take such steps as the member considers necessary to comply with the provision."
Further, Section 31A (8) makes it an offence for any person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a direction under subsection (7). Gardaí may arrest, without warrant, such a person and they are liable to, on summary conviction in Court for a first offence, a fine not in excess of €4,000, a term of imprisonment of up to one month or both. Further penalties apply on subsequent convictions.
For the Deputy's information, details regarding the current level of Fixed Charge Penalties for breaches of the regulations in place issued by An Garda Síochána are published on the Garda website and they are available at the following link:
https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/covid-fines-9-4-21.png
1411. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice if a date for a return to house viewings has been given; and if so, when it will take place. [18918/21]
View answerWhile the Minister for Health has primary responsibility for our overall national COVID strategy, I am happy to supply the following information about the current guidance developed by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) in this regard.
The Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) is the independent statutory body established under the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011, with responsibility to licence and regulate property services providers (auctioneers, estate agents, letting agents and property management agents).
To be of assistance to the Deputy, I have contacted the Property Services Regulatory Authority who has informed me that, on 19 May 2020, the PSRA in association with the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers (IPAV) and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) issued the Joint Sector Protocol for Property Services Providers (PSPs). The Protocol is intended to ensure strict precautions are taken to provide the highest standards of safety in the sales, lettings, valuations and managements of properties in the best interest of clients, consumers, employees, employers and those who are categorised as being at risk or at high risk of Covid-19.
Following on from the Government's publication of the Plan for Living with Covid-19, the PSRA in association with IPAV and SCSI published the Property Services Providers Guidance to implementing the Plan for Living with Covid-19. This document set out additional measures to be undertaken at the different levels outlined within the Plan. An updated version of this Guidance issued in January 2021, to take into account the enhanced restrictions introduced at that time. The guidance in this most recent edition of the Protocol for “Viewings by the public of properties for sale” under current Level 5 restrictions (page 4 of the document) is as follows:
Viewings by the public is permitted of properties by appointment only where the property has gone sale agreed and contracts for sale drafted.
In these circumstances:
- Viewings by one party of two people from the same household is only permitted; and
- Properties must be unoccupied at the time of appointment.
No change has been made to the restriction level since then and therefore this guidance should still be adhered to.
Both the Protocol and the Guidance are subject to the Government, HSE and Department of Health guidelines on these matters. The full document is available to view on the Property Services Regulatory Authority website at: www.psr.ie
The relevant public health considerations therefore remain the primary determining factor as to when it will be appropriate for house viewings to resume in the manner to which we have been previously accustomed. The PSRA will continue to work with the industry to plan for viewings in a safe way as soon as practicable.
1412. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the status of an Irish resident permit application by a person (details supplied); the steps the person can take next in relation to the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18934/21]
View answerDue to the public health restrictions currently in place under Level 5 of the Government's Framework for Restrictive Measures in Response to Covid-19, the Registration Office in Burgh Quay has been closed since 23 December 2020, until further notice.
To ensure that people do not fall out of permission during the Covid-19 pandemic, seven automatic extensions of immigration permissions have been granted, the most recent to 20 September 2021.
The requirement to register an immigration permission in person, for those living in Dublin, including the person referred to by the Deputy, will not arise until the Registration Office reopens in line with the Government's Roadmap. First time registrations require the taking of biometric information (fingerprints) so it is not possible to do these registrations online.
Customers residing in Dublin, who had appointments cancelled for a first-time registration and who provided a valid email address when making their appointment, will be contacted by the Immigration Service of my Department and given a new appointment date.
Registrations outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau through the Garda Station network. Information on the contact details for all the registration offices outside Dublin is available at: https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/reopening-of-registration-offices.html.
Further updates will be provided on the Immigration Service website when available at: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/COVID-19-updates-and-announcements.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie) 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 my Department is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
1413. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 1294 of 9 July 2020, the details of the location of records of a person (details supplied). [18986/21]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department has conducted a search for records relating to the person referred to by the Deputy. These searches identified a single file opened in 1940 and closed in 1942, the file title records the same name as the person referred to but a different address to that supplied.
In 2012, my Department transferred this file with certain individual records abstracted to the National Archives. A search on the National Archives' website for the person's full name will identify the relevant file but for ease of reference I will communicate the file reference number and other details to the Deputy separately.
The abstracted papers from the file remain in the possession of my Department. As I previously advised the Deputy, such papers were retained because they contained personal information which, if released, might cause distress to family members still alive.
As there is a discrepancy in the addresses, there is the possibility that this file does not relate to the person referred. On foot of receipt of the information relating to the file, if the Deputy confirms that the file is of interest and the Deputy so wishes, I can direct my officials, when the current restrictions allow, to review and release, if appropriate, the abstracted records my Department holds from the file in question.
1414. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice the action she plans to take in Q2 2021 to meet the objectives set out in the Action Plan 2021 to identify areas in which gaps in supports exist for victims of crime and to ameliorate those gaps; if she will examine the availability of counsellors in rape crisis centres as part of the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19016/21]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Protecting and supporting victims of crime for the duration of their journey through the criminal justice system is a priority for me. In the recently launched Justice Plan 2021, I have committed to ‘Strengthening community safety, reduce reoffending, support victims and combat domestic sexual and gender based violence’.
The Justice Plan 2021 has a number of actions to advance this goal through the implementation of Supporting a Victims Journey. Supporting a Victims Journey is a detailed roadmap, which, when implemented, will ensure we have a more victim-centred system that supports and empowers victims and gives them the confidence to engage with all services knowing they will be supported, informed and treated with respect and dignity at every point and by every person they come into contact with.
The mapping exercise to identify areas in which gaps in supports exist for victims of crime that that Deputy refers to, objective 133 in the 2021 Justice Action Plan, is indicative of our commitment to working in partnership with organisations that support victims of crime to ensure the victim’s perspective and voice is at the heart of what we do. Crucially important physical and emotional supports and services are provided by NGOs and the reform and development of these services is being progressed in a spirit of co-design between the State as funder and the voluntary sector as provider.
We have reviewed our grant schemes for organisations working with victims of crime. We asked each NGO to identify the precise categories of victims they work with, the services they provide and the geographical areas they work in. The funding available increased from some €2m in 2020 to some €4m this year. We have allocated most of the 2021 grant monies, but are still analysing the data to see where gaps remain so we can work to fill those. We are also offering multi-annual funding commitments to those NGOs we work most closely with and where the funding covers staff salaries – in the interest of promoting more sustainable service delivery and planning. These grants cover court accompaniment, accompaniment to Garda interviews and to sexual assault treatment units, emotional support, counselling and referral to other services.
We are also working with our NGO partners and others to map the journey faced by individual victims to identify issues and support needs not met. The working group leading on this task has met and the NGOs have presented us with a considerable amount of data, which is currently being analysed. When this analysis is complete, the group will reconvene to identify and agree actions to be taken to meet those needs.
The outcome of this work will be published as soon as practicable but I can confirm it is on target to be completed by the end of Q2 2021, as stated in Justice Plan 2021.
The issue of the availability of counsellors in rape crisis centres is not directly under my remit as Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (DSGBV) and fund frontline organisations that deliver services to victims.
1415. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if she will address a matter in relation to a person raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19023/21]
View answerThe visa application for the person referred to by the Deputy was created online on 4 July 2020. A decision on the application will issue once the current Covid-19 travel restrictions have been lifted.
By notice dated 29 January 2021, on the Immigration Service website, applications which were received prior to that date will continue to be processed. However, unless the application meets the Emergency or Priority criteria, a visa or preclearance approval letter will not issue until such time as the Covid-19 travel restrictions have been lifted. Further details are available at: www.inis.gov.ie
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), 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 is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
1417. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice the status of applications for citizenship (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19066/21]
View answerAll applications for a certificate of naturalisation are examined individually and assessed on their own merits. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. The nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time. It is not possible therefore, to provide a more definite time frame.
Nor is it possible to say what the remaining processing time is for applications at an advanced stage or the number that were granted in the last year. The status of an application changes as it moves through the process. Any figures provided would only represent a point in time and would not reflect the work still to be completed, which varies for each individual application.
I am conscious that a significant backlog has built up regarding the granting of citizenships due to the inability to hold in person ceremonies during Covid-19. On 18 January 2021, I was pleased to announce a temporary system that enables citizenship applicants to complete their naturalisation process by signing a statutory declaration of loyalty.
My department achieved the target of communicating with 4,000 people by the end of March 2021. Around 1,200 people have received their Irish citizenship in the 10 weeks since I opened the temporary statutory declaration process. A further 1,159 people have returned their signed statutory declarations and the Citizenship division will be sending them their certificates of naturalisation in the coming weeks.
It has been decided to extend the statutory declaration process to a further 2,500 people and by the end of June, it is expected that 6,500 people will have been given the opportunity to complete their Irish citizenship.
It remains my intention that large scale ceremonies will recommence once circumstances allow. In-person ceremonies have been provisionally scheduled to resume in December 2021, subject to the safety of all involved being assured.
Plans for the digitalisation of the naturalisation process are also well advanced, in line with my recent announcement to significantly modernise the Justice Sector through increased digital and ICT investment. This is a key commitment in Justice Plan 2021.
The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up additional resources to focus on enhanced customer service delivery, ensuring the integrity of the process is protected and processing applications in a timely and efficient manner.
1418. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice the steps she has taken to ensure the full functioning of the court system compliant with public health advice to address the growing backlog of cases including divorce and separation cases. [19088/21]
View answerUnder the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. Furthermore, the scheduling of individual court cases and the allocation of court business are matters for the Presidents of the Courts and the presiding judges who are, under the Constitution, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had inquiries made and the Courts Service has advised me that they continue to work with the Judiciary to prioritise business and the holding of courts to address areas of concern. Urgent family law cases including domestic violence cases have been dealt with at all times during the current period of Level 5 restrictions. Judges have remained available to hear these matters, as and when required. Consent orders have also continued to be made when parties to such cases applied to Court.
Through staggering of court lists, positive callovers of cases on hand and the introduction of new people management procedures, the Courts began to operate at near full capacity in the Summer and Autumn of last year and good progress had been made in dealing with arrears that built up during restrictions. I understand that the Courts Service expects similar results will be possible once current restrictions ease and continues to work closely with the Judiciary to identify areas of work that require particular attention and schedule as much work as possible during current restrictions. Family law cases in the Circuit Court that were adjourned during the early months of the year are being assigned new dates for hearing.
The Judiciary and the Courts Service have worked closely and innovated through the use of technology to maintain the highest level of court activity possible, including through the use of remote courts. Family law proceedings have been heard remotely in Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Louth, Monaghan, Sligo, Tipperary and Westmeath.
Furthermore, the Courts Service has advised me that it is currently rolling out videolink facilities to 43 additional courtrooms across the country this year in order to assist in addressing the current caseload, reducing backlogs and ensuring that remote hearings are held in every county of the country.
I am advised that until such time as restrictions are fully removed, it will remain the priority of the Courts Service and the Judiciary to focus on the public health measures required to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19 to court users. However, the Courts Service has also assured me that both the Courts Service and the Judiciary remain committed to ensuring that urgent family law matters are dealt with as a priority and services return to normal when public health guidelines allow.
The Government is committed to ensuring adequate resources for the courts in order to maintain access to justice for all citizens. This commitment was reinforced recently with the highest ever budgetary allocation for the Justice sector including €158.8 million for the Courts Service. This included €8 million for the new Courts Modernisation Programme along with an additional provision of €5.7m for COVID measures to enable court sittings take place in a socially distanced and safe environment. A significant priority for my Department and the Courts Service in the years ahead will be to significantly invest in digital technology, to transform the experience of practitioners and of court users.
1419. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of calls that were received by the Garda Traffic Watch Service in 2020; the number of those calls that are allocated a number in the Garda PULSE system; the number of investigations under the road traffic acts that resulted from those calls; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19112/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the administration of the traffic watch phone line is a matter for An Garda Síochána and I, as Minister, have no role in this matter.
Traffic Watch is a partnership approach to reducing the number of road collisions and fatalities. It brings road users, An Garda Síochána, the National Roads Authority and the Road Safety Authority together in a collaborative partnership to improve safety on our roads.
Members of the public can report traffic-related incidents using the Traffic Watch lo-call number 1890 205 805. These calls are answered and logged by civilian personnel at the Garda Information Services Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. The incident is then forwarded to the relevant District Officer (Superintendent) for investigation.
I am informed by Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána does not record the number of traffic watch calls that it receives.
I am further informed that a total of 1,182 traffic watch incidents were created on the Garda PULSE system in the period from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020, and that all of these incidents were assigned to a Garda member for follow-up and investigation.
1420. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if it is official policy that Garda traffic watch do not inform persons calling the service of PULSE numbers for their complaints; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19113/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the administration of the traffic watch phone line is a matter for An Garda Síochána and I, as Minister, have no role in this matter.
Traffic Watch is a partnership approach to reducing the number of road collisions and fatalities. It brings road users, An Garda Síochána, the National Roads Authority and the Road Safety Authority together in a united and sustained effort to improve safety on our roads.
Members of the public can report traffic-related incidents using the Traffic Watch lo-call number 1890 205 805. These calls are answered and logged by civilian personnel at the Garda Information Services Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. The incident is then forwarded to the relevant District Officer (Superintendent) for investigation.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the District Officer then appoints a member of An Garda Síochána to investigate the Traffic Watch complaint. The investigating member makes contact with the complainant to:-
- Establish the complainant's version of events
- Establish if there are other witnesses to the alleged incident
- Discuss the possible actions available, including if the complainant wishes the matter to go Court or have the incident dealt with by way of caution, advice or guidance.
If the complainant wishes to go to Court, a written statement is taken, and if not (and an offence has been disclosed), arrangements are made to have the matter dealt with by way of caution, advice or guidance.
Where an offence is believed to have been disclosed and the complainant wishes to go to Court, a file is submitted to the District Officer who will decide what action, if any, is to be taken. In all instances, the complainant should be notified of the outcome of his or her complaint.
Matters reported to Traffic Watch by members of the public are inputted into the Garda PULSE system by the Garda Information Services Centre. I am informed that the Garda Information Services Centre does not provide a PULSE incident number to a member of the public who rings the Traffic Watch Service. I am further informed that the PULSE incident is progressed at the station in the location where the offence is alleged to have occurred. The PULSE incident number is available to the investigating member to disclose if appropriate.
