Alan Kelly
Question:604. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons arrested and charged with drug driving within the Tipperary Garda division in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [15482/23]
View answerTuesday, 28 March 2023
Questions (604)
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
As you will recall, I sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand. As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), which includes the enforcement of road traffic legislation and the recording of information on the Garda IT systems. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that, following the issues identified in 2016 in relation to the recording of breath tests performed by Garda members, improved governance and recording structures were put in place.
The improved recording structures were implemented on the PULSE System on 13 August 2017 and this date is taken as the start point for the examination of data for intoxicant testing carried out at Mandatory Intoxication Testing (MIT) Checkpoints.
The Garda authorities have conducted a search of the PULSE database and have advised me that as of 28 March 2023 there were fewer than 10 persons arrested and subsequently charged with a drugs driving offence in Tipperary Division since 1 January 2022.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that a breakdown cannot be provided as An Garda Síochána do not report on incident types numbering under 10 in a given timeframe/geographic locale, due to data protection concerns.
I hope this information will be of assistance to you.
Written answers
I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, and will contact him again when this is to hand.