Written Answers Nos. 536-549
536. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice if an original birth certificate of a person (details supplied) that was supplied for visa purposes to the Irish Embassy in Abu Dhabi was returned to them as they claim that after repeated requests, they have not received it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35117/23]
View answerI can confirm that the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi did not receive an original birth cert for the person referred to. Where original documents such as marriage, birth or death certificates are received by a visa office they will be returned as soon as the application is dealt with.
I have been informed by the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi that the applicant concerned initially requested the return of original documents associated with their visa application. This was done once the applicant arranged for a courier to collect same from the Embassy, which is standard procedure.
The only original document included in the file was an Irish birth certificate which belonged to the applicant’s “Contact in Ireland” with a stated date of birth of 14/04/2000. This document was collected by DHL on 05 May 2023. Apart from this birth certificate there were no other original documents on file.
On the 25 May 2023 the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi received a request to return everything to the applicant which had not already been returned, including translations and copies.
This package of documentation, which does not include the birth cert referred to, was prepared on 30 May 2023 and is ready to be collected by courier.
As of close of business on 11 July 2023 it remains uncollected.
537. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí stationed in the Cavan Monaghan division in each of the past five years; the rank of each of these gardaí; the unit in which each of these gardaí serve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35215/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this policy. This commitment is demonstrated by the unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion to the Garda Vote this year, which is allowing for sustained and ongoing recruitment and investment in new equipment and new vehicles.
This level of funding provides for a steady pipeline of new Gardaí in the coming years, supporting the recruitment of up to 1,000 Gardaí and 400 additional Garda staff this year, with new recruits to enter the Garda College approximately every 11 weeks.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am assured that the Commissioner keeps the allocation of these resources under continued review, in line with crime and population trends, to ensure their optimum use.
To be of assistance I sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána and have been advised that the figures in the following attachment set out the number of Garda members assigned to Cavan/Monaghan Division by rank at end December 2019 up to end December 2022, and at end June 2023, the latest date for which figures are available.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that for operational security reasons they are unable to disclose details of Garda members assigned to specialist units, however, the information in the following tables set out the number of Garda members by rank assigned to Roads Policing, Community Policing and the Drugs unit in Cavan/Monaghan Division for the years requested. Please note that this information is operational and may be subject to change.
|
Roads Policing |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Jun-23 |
|
Total |
22 (19 Gardaí, 3 Sergeants) |
18 (16 Gardaí, 2 Sergeants) |
18 (15 Gardaí, 3 Sergeants) |
16 (14 Gardaí, 2 Sergeants) |
16 (14 Gardaí, 2 Sergeants) |
|
Community Gardaí |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Jun-23 |
|
Total |
4 (4 Gardaí) |
5 (5 Gardaí) |
16 (16 Gardaí) |
16 (14 Gardaí, 1 Sergeant, 1 Inspector) |
15 (13 Gardaí, 2 Sergeants) |
|
Drugs Unit |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Jun-23 |
|
Total |
6 (5 Gardaí, 1 Sergeant) |
4 (3 Gardaí, 1 Sergeant) |
3 (2 Gardaí, 1 Sergeant) |
2 (1 Garda, 1 Sergeant) |
2 (1 Garda, 1 Sergeant) |
In the interest of transparency, detailed statistics on Garda workforce numbers, including a breakdown by Garda station and Garda rank, are published on gov.ie and are updated regularly by my Department from information provided by An Garda Síochána. The statistics can be accessed using the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/ .
538. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 498 of 16 May 2023, if he can outline if this information is now available for review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35236/23]
View answerI apologise for the delay in responding to the Deputy as I sought clarity on this matter.
I am informed that An Garda Síochána has no way to identify, from its PULSE system, victims of crime who live in nursing homes or disability centres, as distinct from other victims.
I have sought clarity for the Deputy in respect of a previous reference made, that "AGS are currently working to review and quality assure data regarding Victim Offender Relationship (new recording introduced to Pulse in second half of 2021) with a view to proactively publishing reporting during 2022".
I'm informed that this was specifically referring to the work being completed for the Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence report. The completed DSGBV report is available on the Garda website an-garda-siochana-domestic-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-report-sept-22.pdf.
539. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of under 25-year-olds within the prison population; the average sentence amongst this age group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35339/23]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that on the 30th of June, 2023 there were 489 people in custody under the age of 25, of these 364 people were sentenced.
The average sentence length of the sentenced population (excluding life sentences) was 3.057 years.
540. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of offences carried out by under 25-year-olds in the years 2011 to 2022, inclusive, and to-date in 2023; the number of convictions as a result;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35340/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases under reservation in relation to various crime statistics. The CSO also continues to work with An Garda Síochána to address quality issues in the underlying sources used to compile the statistics.
An analysis of both victim and suspected offender gender and age is published by the CSO.
www.cso.ie/en/statistics/crimeandjustice/recordedcrimevictimsandsuspectedoffenders/
Court proceedings are under the remit of the Courts Service. Management of the courts are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
541. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of young people who were diverted to Garda Youth Diversion Programmes in 2011 to 2022 and to-date in 2023, by county; the number that completed the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35341/23]
View answer545. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice if there are follow-up services for those that have completed a Garda Youth Diversion Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35345/23]
View answer546. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the percentage of young people who have completed a Garda Youth Diversion Programme who have reoffended; the outcomes in these cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35346/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 541, 545 and 546 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, Part 4 of the Children Act 2001 (as amended) provides the statutory basis for the Garda Youth Diversion Programme (GYDP). The intention of the programme is to divert children and young people who have engaged in criminal or anti-social behaviour away from the criminal justice system and towards more positive life choices. Children who commit criminal offences are considered for admission to the Programme. Each case is assessed individually and the Director of the GYDP, who is a Garda Superintendent, decides if the case is suitable for inclusion.
Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda Diversion Programme. There are currently over 100 YDPs nationwide, with a small number of additional projects due to come on stream this year to meet the commitment in the Youth Justice Strategy to extend this service to every child or young person in the State who can benefit from it.
Youth Diversion Projects are co-funded by the Irish Government and European Social Fund as part of the ESF+ Programme 2021-2027.
There is no date for a young person to complete or leave a YDP should they continue to benefit from attendance, with the exception that currently the Diversion Programme ends on a person's 18th birthday. The YDPs are not currently intended or designed to provide general support services beyond that date.
Young people typically leave a YDP through either planned or unplanned disengagement. As might be expected, participants who remained in unbroken engagement with their projects fare better than those who did not. The greatest differences between groups occurs in relation to engagement status, with those who had a planned disengagement record significantly better outcomes than those who had an unplanned disengagement.
The Deputy may wish to note that I launched an evaluation of the YDPs last month, which demonstrates that the YDPs have proved very successful.
Interview data from the evaluation highlights continued interactions taking place between Youth Justice Workers (YJW) and individuals who have left the YDP but who continue to need some support. One YJW noted that ‘we invested in their life at some point … so we can't just abandon them just because they turned 18 and or they've left the project’. This continuing support is on an ad-hoc basis, including offering advice, assistance with preparing CVs for job applications and attendance at occasions such as weddings or christenings.
However, official data relating to re-offending could not be accessed by the Evaluation Team and it was therefore not possible to establish the effectiveness of the projects through this means. The Evaluation Team instead relied on interviews and surveys.
The YLS / CMI 2.0 tool, which is a risk assessment tool designed to assess risk and need, was also used, though its value as regards measuring crime risk was found to be extremely limited.
Throughout the evaluation, it was emphasised to the Evaluation Team that there is a need to be realistic about what can be achieved through the YDPs. Nevertheless, high proportions of Youth Justice Workers, Juvenile Liaison Officers, project managers and Project Committee members indicate that the YDPs are successful in achieving positive outcomes.
Overall, the analysis of the YLS tool shows that about half of participants who had two YLS assessments recorded had decreased their overall risk score, about one-third increased their risk score and about one-sixth were unchanged.
The evaluation has a number of recommendations on linking YDP data and reoffending data which will be taken forward by the Department in collaboration with the Research and Development team of University of Limerick's Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice (REPPP) programme such as:
• Building on the rich description of the YDPs and analysis of different data sources provided in the evaluation, consideration be given to carrying out a more comprehensive analysis of the administrative databases using inferential techniques.
• That ways be found to access and analyse Garda PULSE data relating to individual YDP participants, without compromising privacy and confidentiality, with a particular focus on the trajectories of those who remain engaged in the projects, disengage in a planned way and disengage in an unplanned way.
• That analysis of Garda aggregate PULSE data in respect of young people according to YDP catchment areas be carried out annually and trends noted.
In relation to data on the number of children and young people who are referred to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, a geographic breakdown is unavailable. I am advised however that the following table provides the overall number of children and young people referred for the years 2011 to 2021.
The figures for 2022 and 2023 are unavailable, pending publication of the Annual Report of the Committee Appointed to Monitor the Effectiveness of the Diversion Programme for those years.
|
Year |
Total no. of children/young people referred |
|
2021 |
8,514 |
|
2020 |
8,169 |
|
2019 |
9,842 |
|
2018 |
8,561 |
|
2017 |
10,607 |
|
2016 |
9,451 |
|
2015 |
9,807 |
|
2014 |
9,991 |
|
2013 |
10,420 |
|
2012 |
12,246 |
|
2011 |
9,721 |
It should be noted that the number referred to the GDYP does not equal the number who are deemed suitable for inclusion in the Diversion Programme. Each case is assessed by the Director of the GDYP for suitability for inclusion. There are a number of reasons why a child/young person may not be deemed suitable, including but not limited to, the serious nature of the offence, patterns of repeat offending, lack of evidence etc.
The Annual Reports of the Committee Appointed to Monitor the Effectiveness of the Diversion Programme and the Evaluation Report of the YDPs are published on gov.ie - Youth Justice Strategy 2021 - 2027 (www.gov.ie).
542. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the funding allocated to Garda Youth Diversion Programmes in 2011 to 2023, by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35342/23]
View answerYouth Diversion Project (YDPs) are community based, multi-agency crime prevention initiatives, which seek to divert young people who have become involved in crime/anti-social behaviour and to support wider preventative work within the community and with families at risk. The YDPs act as a vital support to the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme.
The objectives of the YDP are to:
• promote focused and effective interventions to challenge and divert young people from offending behaviour;
• utilise YDP resources in areas of greatest need and to establish effective crime prevention supports in co-operation with other youth service providers nationwide;
• actively promote crime prevention policy through focussed educational interventions influencing positive development of young people towards becoming responsible citizens.
Funding for these interventions is based on evidence that diverting young offenders from the criminal justice system, and preventative work with young people at risk, is to their long-term benefit and that of society as a whole.
Youth Diversion Projects are co-funded by the Irish Government and European Social Fund as part of the ESF+ Programme 2021-2027. Any future allocations to the YDPs will, as the Deputy can appreciate, form part of the usual Estimates process.
The Youth Justice Strategy 2021 - 2027 commits to the expansion of the Youth Diversion Projects and establishment of a small number of new Projects, so that every child or young person in the State who could benefit from this service can access it. This includes the establishment of 4 new Projects in areas that currently lack coverage.
We are also exploring, along with other statutory bodies, providing youth services to pilot a number of joint-commissioned Projects. This new type of YDP brings together services from across the public sector to enhance the service provided to young people and to ensure a 'no wrong door' approach. All of these are aimed at ensuring that programmes and interventions are as effectively designed and targeted as possible to support those children and young people (and their families) who experience particular disadvantage and are more at risk with respect to offending behaviour.
For the Deputy's information, the following table shows the funding allocations to YDPs for the years requested.
|
Year |
Allocation |
|
2023 |
€24.9m |
|
2022 |
€22.9m |
|
2021 |
€17.6m |
|
2020 |
€16.8m |
|
2019 |
€15.6m |
|
2018 |
€13.6m |
|
2017 |
€13.4m |
|
2016 |
€12.9m |
|
2015 |
€13.1m |
|
2014 |
€11.5m |
|
2013 |
€11.6m |
|
2012 |
€11.2m |
|
2011 |
€11.5m |
543. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the rates of reoffending in the State amongst those who were first sentenced before the age of 25 years; how this compares to other jurisdictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35343/23]
View answerThe Government is focused on reducing reoffending including by diverting people, where appropriate, from the criminal justice system and ensuring the underlying causes of offending behaviour are addressed.
This is not something that can be done with just a criminal justice response. It requires action on the part of other Government Departments and agencies. In this regard I am pleased to note the work of the:
• Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024 which was published last year;
• High Level Task Force which considered the mental health and addiction challenges of those who come into contact with the criminal justice sector, also published last year; and
• Prison Education Taskforce which was established on 23 May 2023 and is jointly chaired by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris and the Minister of State with responsibility for Law Reform in the Department of Justice, James Browne.
The information requested by the Deputy is not available from my Department but the Deputy may wish to note that earlier this week the Central Statistics Office (CSO) published its latest statistical release on 2020 Prison Re-Offending Statistics.
544. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the services that are available to those within the prison population to help further their education; the services available to those who are released for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35344/23]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody to help further their education. These programmes include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to use these services.
The Department of Education provides an allocation of 220 whole time teacher equivalents to the Irish Prison Service through the Education and Training Boards. Education in prisons is delivered with a focus on providing education which is quality assured, student centred and which facilitates lifelong learning. In general education programmes are adapted to take account of the diversity of the prisoner population and the complex nature of prison life, including segregation requirements and high levels of prisoner turnover. The partnership endeavours to meet the needs of prisoners through helping them cope with their sentence, achieve personal development and prepare for life after release. The Irish Prison Service also supports Open University provision and linkages with other Higher Education providers.
I can further advise the Deputy that the Prison Education Taskforce was established on 23 May 2023 and is jointly chaired by the Minister of Further Education and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Minister of State with responsibility for Law Reform in the Department of Justice. The aim of the Taskforce is to ensure improvements in the work and training area and greater alignment between prison education and the tertiary education system to support prisoners in benefiting from education and training opportunities while in custody to support their rehabilitation and access to employment post - release.
Further, the Irish Prison Service is in the process of developing its 2023 - 2025 Strategic Plan. Central to this strategy will be building on the lessons learned over the past number of years and further developing the new modalities of learning that have been introduced, including a move away from classroom only learning and adopting a blended approach to the delivery of education. By harnessing new technologies and methods for the delivery of educational content, the Irish Prison Service can ensure that prisoners are facilitated in continuing their learning beyond scheduled classes and extend the delivery of education and training provision to people in their care.
The Deputy may also be aware that in early 2022 the new €100,000 KickStart Scholarship Fund aimed at supporting people with a criminal justice history who are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage to access Higher Education (HEI) was unveiled as part of the Unlocking Potential Project Launch at Maynooth University. The Fund was established with the support of the Irish Prison Service and aims to reduce socio-economic barriers faced by people with existing criminal convictions who are seeking to make positive change in their lives and access third level education. The scholarships are financed via the Dormant Accounts Fund and form part of the Department of Justice's Working to Change strategy aimed at increasing access to employment opportunities for people with criminal convictions.
547. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the roll-out of the mental health crisis de-escalation pilot in Limerick; when this will be operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35347/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Final Report and Recommendations of the High Level Task Force to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those who come into contact with the criminal justice sector was published by Minister McEntee and the Minister for Health in September 2022.
The recommendations aim to ensure better support for people at the earliest point at which they come into contact with the criminal justice system and to divert them away from it where possible, while supporting them in their rehabilitation from addiction and in the recovery and management of their illness.
The recommendations also seek to address the question of better support for prisoners in their rehabilitation when justice requires a prison sentence, and that progress made in prison is not lost after release.
One of the recommendations that came from the work of the subgroup of the High Level Task Force that looked at diversion, is the development of a Community Access Support Team or CAST.
It is intended that the development of the CAST approach will enhance diversionary practices for those experiencing crisis and situational trauma that leads to mental health difficulties. This approach moves towards the shared goal of providing a compassionate and effective response to people in distress and improving the experience and outcomes for those experiencing distress and those providing support. CAST is a partnership approach between An Garda Síochána and HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare Mental Health Services to meet the needs of people in mental health crisis in the right place at the right time.
To progress this, it is proposed that a pilot team in the Limerick area will be used to develop the learnings from this multi-disciplinary approach in order to inform further roll-out on a national level.
As previously advised to the Deputy, the CAST pilot project is expected to commence in late 2023 and I am advised by the Garda Authorities that regular meetings are taking place between An Garda Síochána, the HSE and Limerick City and County Council and work to progress the pilot is advancing.
All aspects of the pilot will be fully evaluated to inform and design the long term implementation. The Limerick CAST pilot is the first time a co-responder model and support hub will be introduced in Ireland that will respond to, and support, those experiencing crisis and situational trauma.
548. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered a core budget to fund innovative projects for the current initiatives in Dublin 17; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35413/23]
View answerUnder Justice Plan 2021, my Department committed to supporting and working with Dublin City Council (DCC) to ensure the implementation of the report on Darndale, Belcamp and Moatview, on which DCC leads. My Department attends meetings of the implementation group and responds to any justice related issues as they arise.
As the Deputy is aware, DCC commissioned this report in response to the escalating levels of violence in these areas of north Dublin in 2019 and 2020. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the area’s assets, services, and significant levels of State supports as well as its inherent challenges.
The Darndale Implementation Oversight Group (DIOG) was established in February 2021 and is meeting on a monthly basis, chaired by former Assistant Garda Commissioner Jack Nolan. The importance which is being placed on the implementation of the report by An Garda Síochána is demonstrated by the presence of the local Chief Superintendent, Superintendent and Inspector, all of whom sit on the group and they deal with any Garda operational matters that arise.
As well as important recommendations related to crime prevention and dismantling gangs, two key recommendations include the need to strengthen community participation and leadership, and the need for more collaboration in relation to delivery of state services. This closely aligns to work by my Department to develop a new community safety policy in line with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.
The Deputy will also be aware that my Department will be providing funding to community safety projects through the Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs). These innovative projects are being trialled in three locations; Dublin's North Inner City, Waterford and Longford, with a view to rolling these projects out nationwide next year. Funding is also available from my Department through the Community Safety Innovation Fund, the goal of which is to support local projects aimed at improving community safety, reduce the risk of crime, reduce reoffending and diverting vulnerable individuals from criminal behaviour.
549. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice the average waiting time for successful naturalisation applications to be processed at present; the number of applications currently being considered; and the number of live applications still being processed that were submitted prior to 30 June 2021. [35449/23]
View answer552. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of naturalisation cases open from 2020, 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023; the average waiting time per case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35503/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 549 and 552 together.
My Department fully appreciates that delays in processing times can be very frustrating and disruptive to applicants for naturalisation.
The backlogs currently being experienced are an unfortunate legacy of the pandemic when staff could only attend the office in a limited capacity. The paper based nature of the application process means it was very difficult to process files during that time.
I would like to assure you that Citizenship Division is committed to reducing how long applicants have to wait for a decision while addressing the backlog as quickly as possible and improving its customer service.
There are currently significant changes underway as the Division examines how it can become more efficient. One of the improvements that has become visible recently has been the reduction in wait times for files to be registered. Last year it took on average about 7 months for a file to be acknowledged. This year it is done in a matter of weeks. A related improvement is that Garda vetting is now carried out earlier in the naturalisation process to help improve processing efficiency.
To ensure older files are also progressing under the new system my Department has recently written to 13,000 applicants with electronic links to commence eVetting. Over the last two months around 3,000 of these vetting files have been progressed and significant work is underway to ensure the remaining vetting is completed in the coming months with the aim of issuing invites to applicants for citizenship ceremonies by the end of this year.
The median processing time for applications currently stands at 19 months. The number of applications currently at hand at the end of June is 31,610. 4,312 were received prior to 30 June 2021.
To date in 2023, 6,061 naturalisation certificates have already issued and I can further advise the Deputy that approximately 8,700 of the applications on hand have in fact received a positive decision and are now in the process of making their final payment and/or being scheduled to attend a citizenship ceremony.
Finally, I can advise the Deputy that the Citizenship Division of my Department intends to regularly communicate with all applicants on a quarterly basis into the future, to keep them updated on the status of their application.
Please see as follows a table which shows applications on hand for each of the years referenced in the request.
|
Year |
Applications |
|
2020 |
1,035 |
|
2021 |
5,510 |
|
2022 |
16,435 |
|
2023* |
7,178 |
|
Total |
30,158 |
*The 2023 figure is up to 30 June 2023.
