Written Answers Nos. 395-414
395. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if she will instigate an independent investigation into the treatment of whistleblowers within the Prison Service, such as in the case of a person (details supplied), with specific reference to dignity at work and the use of the Civil Service code to discipline staff. [45167/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Protected Disclosures Act was enacted in 2014 to allow workers report alleged wrongdoing to the appropriate authorities. The Act, as amended by the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022, also affords very important protections to persons making protected disclosures. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate therefore that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on nor confirm the existence of any specific protected disclosure. The protection of those wishing to make a protected disclosure rightly prioritises the confidentiality of the process, which is central to the efficacy of that process.
Separately, dignity at work and disciplinary matters are a personal and confidential process pertaining to individuals.
396. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of addiction counsellors employed by the Irish Prison Service, by institution and by year, from 2013 to date. [45176/23]
View answerThe Irish Prison Service provides a health care service for people with addictions on a structured, safe and professional basis in line with international best practice. The Irish Prison Service continues to be committed to, and involved with, the National Drugs Strategy in partnership with community colleagues and organisations.
It is estimated that approximately 70% of prisoners who are committed to custody have difficulties associated with addiction to substances. It is the policy of the Prison Service that, where a person committed to prison gives a history of opiate use and tests positive for opioids, they are offered a medically assisted, symptomatic detoxification, if clinically indicated.
I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service engages Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) to provide a prison-based addiction counselling service across the entire Irish Prison Service estate with the exception of Arbour Hill Prison where there is currently no clinical need for such a service. The addiction counselling service includes structured assessments and evidence-based counselling interventions, with clearly defined treatment plans and goals.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of MQI Addiction Counsellors by institution is only available from 2016 and is provided in the table below.
|
LOCATION |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Cork |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.72 |
2.1 |
1.9 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Midlands |
1.8 |
1.8 |
1.9 |
1.9 |
1.96 |
1.9 |
1.96 |
1.96 |
|
Portlaoise |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.54 |
0.5 |
0.54 |
0.54 |
|
Mountjoy |
4.36 |
4.36 |
5 |
5 |
4.68 |
4 |
4.4 |
3.7 |
|
Dóchas |
1 |
1 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
1 |
|
Training Unit |
0.64 |
0.64 |
||||||
|
Loughan House |
0.5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0.9 |
1 |
|
Shelton Abbey |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
1 |
|
Cloverhill |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2.6 |
|
Wheatfield |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
2.2 |
|
Castlerea |
2.5 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2.2 |
2 |
2 |
|
GRAND TOTAL |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
20 |
397. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the procedure to be followed in order to obtain Irish citizenship in the name of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45225/23]
View answerThe granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Applicants are required to have 5 years reckonable residence in the State prior to making an application, except for spouses of Irish nationals where the requirement is 3 years. In both cases, the final 12 months must be continuous residence in the State.
It is open to anyone to make an application for citizenship once they meet the criteria as set out in the 1956 Act, as amended. Once an application is received, a determination on whether the applicant satisfies the statutory criteria for naturalisation will be made.
Detailed information on Irish citizenship and the naturalisation process, along with the relevant application forms and guidance notes, is available on my Department's Irish Immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/
398. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of drug seizures by gardaí in the State in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and if this figure can be broken down to include types of drugs, quantity and money value, in tabular form. [45267/23]
View answer399. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of drug seizures by gardaí in County Wexford in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and if this figure can be broken down to include the types of drugs, quantity and money value, in tabular form. [45268/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 399 together.
I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been advised that An Garda Síochána is unable to provide a breakdown of seizures in the form requested by the Deputy.
Confirmation of drugs seized are subject to analysis and verification by Forensic Science Ireland, prior to publication in the Garda Annual Report. The Deputy should note that these figures do not include drugs seized by other responsible State agencies, such as Revenue Customs Service.
Garda Annual reports for 2012 to 2021 are available at the following link with the 2022 report expected to be published shortly - www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/annual%20reports/an-garda-siochana-annual-reports/
To be of assistance, the table below sets out the value of drug seizures as published in the 2012 to 2021 Garda Annual reports.
|
Year |
Amount Seized (millions of euro) |
|
2021 |
€41,565,384 |
|
2020 |
€31,406,368 |
|
2019 |
€30,572,365 |
|
2018 |
€30,696,694 |
|
2017 |
€71,859,695 |
|
2016 |
€29,706,281 |
|
2015 |
€46,704,248 |
|
2014 |
€57,000,010 |
|
2013 |
€64,872,695 |
|
2012 |
€115,440,084 |
400. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons arrested for drug offences in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023 and if a breakdown can be provided by the type of offence. [45269/23]
View answer401. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons arrested for drug offences in County Wexford, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and if a breakdown can be provided by the type of offence. [45270/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 400 and 401 together.
The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, which is reflected in an allocation of €2.31 billion under Budget 2024, up 23 per cent since 2020.
As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, nor can I direct the Commissioner with regard to them.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table attached sets out the number of people arrested for drug offences in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. This data was taken from PULSE and is correct to 14 October 2023. The table also includes the number of people arrested for drug offences in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023 in county Wexford, as requested by the Deputy.
As the Deputy will also be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. This includes statistics for the drug offences including controlled drug offences, driving/in charge of a vehicle under the influence of drugs, importation of drugs, cultivation or manufacture of drugs, possession of drugs for sale or supply and possession of drugs for personal use.
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.
Figures in respect of drugs offences can be found on the CSO website at the link below:
data.cso.ie/table/CJQ06
402. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to open new visa processing offices in Washington DC and Seoul in South Korea. [45289/23]
View answerI can advise the Deputy there are no plans to open additional overseas visa offices in any new locations.
There are currently seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. They are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. Citizens of the United States of America (USA) and the Republic of Korea are not visa required nationals and may present themselves to an immigration official at an Irish Port of Entry without the need to acquire a visa. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated sanction from my Department. The Department of Foreign Affairs operate Embassies in Washington DC and Seoul where they process many different visa types including visit (family), visit (tourism), employment and study visas for visa required nationals that are resident in the USA or the Republic of Korea.
403. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice the number of senior investigating officer courses held for gardaí within the Cavan-Monaghan division in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [45290/23]
View answerAs you are aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the deployment of Garda resources and training of Garda personnel. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
A Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) is appointed to investigate serious crime occurrences and critical incidents by a Divisional Critical Incident Management Team, which comprises of a Chief Superintendent, Superintendent and Detective Superintendent.
The Senior Investigating Officer programme is primarily aimed at Detective Inspectors who are tasked with the leadership and management of serious crime investigation and critical incidents.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that no Garda members in the Cavan/Monaghan Division completed Stage 1 of the Senior Investigating Officers Training course in 2022, and that to date in 2023, 1 Garda member in the Cavan/Monaghan Division has completed this course.
404. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if the budget provided by her Department is adequate to meet the ongoing challenges of crime prevention and policing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45304/23]
View answerMy top priority is building stronger, safer communities and that is reflected in the budget allocation of €2.31 billion announced last week for An Garda Síochána, which has grown considerably since I took office in 2020. This unprecedented budget will strengthen the work of An Garda Síochána and the criminal justice sector to prevent and detect crime and protect communities.
The best way we can strengthen policing is by supporting additional recruitment into An Garda Síochána. We will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe and the Budget 2024 allocation will allow for between 800 and 1000 more Gardaí recruits next year.
The additional funding made available by the Government in Budget 2024 will provide for a 66% increase in the allowance payable to Garda trainees to €305. In addition, an almost 25% increase in the overtime budget for An Garda Síochána will support high visibility policing to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
The record budgetary resources allocated to An Garda Síochána in recent years has also enabled the Garda Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime, including the Armed Support Unit, GNDOCB, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
As the Deputy will be aware, protecting our citizens is much wider than policing and I want to empower communities to have a say in matters relating to their own safety. In 2024, total funding of €7.9m will create a new National Office for Community Safety, and roll out Community Safety Partnerships to plan the community’s own safety priorities in every area of the country.
I am also really pleased that the Community Safety Innovation Fund, which reinvests the proceeds of crime as seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau, has been increased to €3.75m. Grants are awarded under this fund to organisations or community groups that have innovative proposals to improve community safety and have not been able to access other sources of funding.
405. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 438 of 3 October 2023, if she will provide detail on the nature of the data breaches suffered by her Department; the severity of the breaches; if all individuals whose information was compromised were notified of the breach; if the Data Protection Commission was notified of all data breaches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45340/23]
View answerMy Department is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of all individuals in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation, 2016/679 (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. My Department complies fully with data breach reporting requirements.
Securing and managing personal data in accordance with the GDPR principles is a priority and is governed by a comprehensive set of policies, procedures and systems. For example, a Department Data Protection Steering Group operates with membership of senior personnel from across the Department to assist the Management Board and the Data Protection Officer in fulfilling their Data Protection responsibilities.
My Department has implemented appropriate measures to ensure that all data held under its control is secure and is not at risk from unauthorised access. Measures for the protection of personal data are reviewed and upgraded where appropriate, on an ongoing basis.
Further, data protection training is available to staff in order to ensure that my Department is compliant with obligations to protect all personal data processed.
Whether a data breach is notified to the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) or not depends on a risk assessment conducted by my Department’s Data Protection Support and Compliance Office on a case by case basis. The majority (86%) of data breaches in 2023 have been assessed as low risk. As the Deputy may be aware, the law requires a breach be communicated to the data subject if the risk is assessed as high.
The information requested by the Deputy is provided in tabular form below.
|
Year |
Number of Breaches Recorded |
Notified to DPC |
Communicated to Data Subjects |
|
2023 (to September 27, 2023) |
113 |
24 |
2 |
|
2022 |
120 |
56 |
2 |
|
2021 |
122 |
73 |
7 |
|
2020 |
121 |
72 |
31 |
|
2019 |
131 |
68 |
44 |
|
2018 (from May 25, 2018 when GDPR came into effect) |
41 |
14 |
9 |
|
2018 (pre GDPR) |
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
2017 (pre GDPR) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
The nature of breaches in 2023 year are indicated by the categorisations below:
• 83% are categorised as unauthorised disclosure (43%/40% wrong email/postal address respectively)
• 12% are categorised as paper lost or stolen (including official documentation)
• 5% are categorised as lost or stolen devices.
406. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons arrested for rape or sexual assault in each county in the State in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023. [45376/23]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that this Government is deeply committed to tackling sexual violence and sexual crime in all its forms.
Working to ensure that victims feel empowered to report sexual crimes and that when they do, they are fully supported at every stage of their interaction with our justice system, has been a priority for me as Minister for Justice.
Building the confidence of victims is a cornerstone of the actions set out in Supporting a Victim’s Journey. The implementation of this important action plan is continuing and a number of key actions have already been delivered including:
• The establishment of a course in University of Limerick to train intermediaries;
• Legislating for preliminary trial hearings;
• Undertaking a mapping exercise to identify gaps in services and supports provided for victims, both geographically and by service type, and the provision of increased funding to address them; and
• The first cohort of staff at a new sexual offences unit in the Director of Public Prosecutions took up their roles.
Last year, I published Zero Tolerance - Third National Strategy to combat Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, which underlines the Government’s commitment to tackling sexual violence in all its forms. The plan recognises the importance of strong legislation, of reporting, of supports for victims and of a co-ordinated approach in our work with victims, and outlines the actions we will take in each of these areas.
I am also very aware of the importance of comprehensive and robust data in this area. That is why my Department commissioned the CSO to undertake a national survey of the prevalence of sexual violence, the results of which were published in April. This will provide an important baseline for evaluating the vital work across all of Government under the Zero Tolerance Strategy.
In relation to the specific information sought by the Deputy on the number of persons arrested for rape or sexual assault in each county in the State in each of the past ten years, I have sought this information from An Garda Síochána and it is presented in the table below.
A search of the PULSE database was conducted for Custody Logs associated with incidents in the Category “Sexual Offences” and where the arrest or entry date occurs during the period 01/01/2012 – 15/10/2023
The number of Custody Logs by Division and by year in the period 2012 to the 15th of October 2023 is shown in the table below.
|
Region |
Division |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023(1) |
|
Dublin Region |
D.M.R. Eastern |
20 |
23 |
19 |
27 |
20 |
34 |
27 |
21 |
28 |
20 |
28 |
21 |
|
Dublin Region |
D.M.R. North Central |
57 |
36 |
30 |
31 |
24 |
25 |
41 |
47 |
71 |
69 |
62 |
60 |
|
Dublin Region |
D.M.R Northern |
57 |
35 |
32 |
52 |
51 |
75 |
59 |
62 |
43 |
70 |
52 |
54 |
|
Dublin Region |
D.M.R. South Central |
32 |
42 |
46 |
45 |
41 |
38 |
62 |
61 |
63 |
55 |
39 |
18 |
|
Dublin Region |
D.M.R. Southern |
39 |
41 |
54 |
61 |
65 |
74 |
51 |
61 |
66 |
111 |
45 |
43 |
|
Dublin Region |
D.M.R. Western |
45 |
36 |
40 |
38 |
47 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
57 |
62 |
46 |
36 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Kildare Div |
12 |
18 |
29 |
28 |
22 |
27 |
26 |
43 |
51 |
54 |
57 |
33 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Kilkenny/Carlow |
30 |
27 |
18 |
32 |
39 |
39 |
32 |
40 |
38 |
30 |
24 |
26 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Laois/Offaly |
16 |
23 |
29 |
20 |
33 |
45 |
45 |
36 |
45 |
63 |
46 |
47 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Meath Div |
37 |
23 |
14 |
19 |
16 |
14 |
28 |
22 |
23 |
33 |
26 |
31 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Waterford Div |
50 |
46 |
48 |
43 |
29 |
42 |
60 |
43 |
77 |
65 |
93 |
57 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Westmeath Div |
12 |
* |
* |
15 |
13 |
14 |
11 |
25 |
19 |
23 |
17 |
15 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Wexford Div |
16 |
14 |
30 |
31 |
43 |
48 |
41 |
48 |
76 |
76 |
72 |
58 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
Wicklow Div |
15 |
14 |
39 |
23 |
26 |
27 |
20 |
38 |
36 |
36 |
20 |
35 |
|
North Western Region |
Cavan/Monaghan |
43 |
34 |
24 |
28 |
22 |
26 |
37 |
32 |
25 |
24 |
29 |
36 |
|
North Western Region |
Donegal |
29 |
24 |
21 |
29 |
28 |
47 |
45 |
46 |
29 |
50 |
27 |
40 |
|
North Western Region |
Galway Div |
25 |
31 |
20 |
21 |
41 |
34 |
24 |
25 |
31 |
35 |
22 |
32 |
|
North Western Region |
Louth |
24 |
15 |
25 |
27 |
36 |
35 |
19 |
36 |
31 |
29 |
27 |
22 |
|
North Western Region |
Mayo/Roscommon/Longford |
17 |
17 |
23 |
32 |
34 |
30 |
39 |
39 |
50 |
51 |
41 |
27 |
|
North Western Region |
Sligo/Leitrim |
12 |
13 |
10 |
11 |
13 |
16 |
15 |
29 |
19 |
18 |
28 |
* |
|
Southern Region (New) |
Clare/Tipperary |
54 |
62 |
36 |
70 |
56 |
58 |
39 |
52 |
58 |
78 |
80 |
35 |
|
Southern Region (New) |
Cork City |
44 |
43 |
53 |
38 |
33 |
45 |
49 |
48 |
45 |
49 |
45 |
30 |
|
Southern Region (New) |
Cork North |
23 |
22 |
29 |
36 |
33 |
34 |
53 |
50 |
33 |
29 |
37 |
32 |
|
Southern Region (New) |
Cork West |
13 |
18 |
19 |
10 |
14 |
14 |
22 |
21 |
22 |
20 |
13 |
13 |
|
Southern Region (New) |
Kerry |
26 |
29 |
27 |
36 |
22 |
28 |
30 |
41 |
32 |
30 |
33 |
44 |
|
Southern Region (New) |
Limerick |
44 |
51 |
41 |
41 |
53 |
45 |
57 |
49 |
60 |
48 |
59 |
46 |
(1) - Up to 15/10/2023
*- Less than 10
Additional Information
Incident data is based upon operational data from the PULSE system as was available at 01:00 on 16/10/2023 and is liable to change.
407. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the total number of prisoners currently in the State. [45377/23]
View answer408. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the current prison bed capacity in the State. [45378/23]
View answer409. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the total number of prisoners currently in the State who have previously served time in prison for a previous offence. [45379/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 407 to 409, inclusive, together.
I am advised by officials in the Irish Prison Service that on 30 September 2023 there were 4,581 people in prison and the bed capacity was 4,515. Of the 4,581 people in prison, 3,197 had previously been committed into custody.
The Deputy will wish to be aware that the officials in the Irish Prison Service and in my Department are continuously working to identify short, medium and longer term proposals to help manage the current capacity issues in our prisons and are committed to providing safe and secure custody for all people committed to prison while ensuring a safe working environment for staff.
The Irish Prison Service does not have the option of refusing committals and must accept all people committed by the Courts Service. The prison system is under increasing pressure with factors such as ongoing population growth, increasing Garda and Judicial resources, and more frequent Court sittings, all contributing to a rising prison population.
Where the number of prisoners exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, my officials make every effort to address the issue through a combination of inter-prison transfers and carefully selecting candidates for Temporary Release.
The Government has provided significant capital funding to the Irish Prison Service to enhance the existing prison infrastructure. These projects have included, adding capacity to the Training Unit in Mountjoy Prison, along with the new male and female prison accommodation in Limerick Prison.
In addition, there are plans for 4 short to medium term capital projects at Castlerea Prison, Cloverhill Prison, the Midlands Prison and Mountjoy Prison. These will deliver a minimum of 620 additional spaces.
While I continue to engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to progress an agreed schedule of capital builds, including the delivery of additional prison spaces, Budget 2024 provided an extra €12.6 million in the Irish Prisons Service budget for pay.
This money will be used to fund public sector pay increases and additional staff to cope with increasing prisoner numbers and services to prisoners. The new staff provided for in this increased allocation will include extra staff to assist with a Rapid Prison Building Unit to drive the Government’s intention to provide of over 620 new prisoner spaces over the next 5 years.
Alongside efforts to increase prison capacity, my Department is progressing a range of policy options to ensure that the courts have a suitably wide range of appropriate options for dealing with people who have committed minor offences.
The Programme for Government contains a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society, with a specific commitment to review policy options for prison and penal reform. In respect of delivering on this commitment, the Government approved the Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024 in August 2022.
This review seeks to find the balance between ensuring that people who commit serious crimes receive a punishment and a period of incarceration proportionate to that crime, while at the same time acknowledging that sometimes community-based sanctions are more appropriate in diverting offenders away from future criminal activity and that they have a role to play in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing protection to the public, while holding the individual accountable.
The Deputy will also wish to be aware that the Irish Prison Service publishes figures in relation to prisoner population on their website, www.irishprisons.ie.
410. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda members in each roads policing unit, by Garda division, to date in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45380/23]
View answerThe unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion to An Garda Síochána in 2023 and 2024, up 23 per cent since 2020, demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring the Gardaí have provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out vital policing work.
As the Deputy will be aware, by law the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the various Garda Divisions/units. As Minister, I have no role in these operational matters.
I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use.
The best way to increase the strength of all Garda Units, including the roads policing unit, is to accelerate recruitment into An Garda Síochána and that is exactly what we are doing. Budget 2024 has provided funding for up to 800-1000 new Garda recruits next year. We have also increased the training allowance and provided a package of wellbeing supports.
It is worth noting, however, that on average, 25% of roads policing enforcement is carried by regular Garda members, with the exception of drug/drink driving checks, 75% of which are carried out by regular Garda members.
The table below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the number of Gardaí assigned to the Roads Policing Unit, by Division, as at the end of August 2023, the latest date for when figures are available.
|
DIVISION |
Aug 2023 |
|
D.M.R. EAST |
5 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH |
12 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL |
17 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH |
10 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL |
13 |
|
D.M.R. WEST |
11 |
|
D.M.R. TRAFFIC/ROADS POLICING |
84 |
|
KILDARE |
26 |
|
LAOIS / OFFALY |
24 |
|
MEATH |
18 |
|
WESTMEATH |
18 |
|
WICKLOW |
19 |
|
CAVAN / MONAGHAN |
16 |
|
DONEGAL |
27 |
|
LOUTH |
23 |
|
SLIGO / LEITRIM |
17 |
|
KILKENNY/CARLOW |
23 |
|
TIPPERARY |
25 |
|
WATERFORD |
17 |
|
WEXFORD |
22 |
|
CORK CITY |
32 |
|
CORK NORTH |
21 |
|
CORK WEST |
20 |
|
KERRY |
24 |
|
LIMERICK |
34 |
|
CLARE |
18 |
|
GALWAY |
40 |
|
MAYO |
24 |
|
ROSCOMMON / LONGFORD |
19 |
|
TOTAL |
659 |
Further detailed information in relation to Garda numbers is available on my Department’s website. This information is updated every month with the latest data provided by An Garda Síochána, and includes the number of Gardaí by station across the whole country.
The information can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/
The Deputy may also be aware that I allocated an additional €1.2 million to An Gardaí Síochána earlier this year for mobile safety camera deployments and monitoring hours for the duration of 2023. This additional funding will see GoSafe provide an extra 1,500 hours of monitoring every month until the end of the year, a 20% increase. As part of Budget 2024, €3.6m additional funding has been allocated for GoSafe speed cameras, continuing the increased level of 9,000 hours a month announced last month through the whole of 2024.
411. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the amount of pesticide used in the State in the years 2020 to date and any Government targets or commitments to reduce usage, both in terms of percentage and overall quantity, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44632/23]
View answerPesticide usage data is collected through surveys that are currently conducted on a cyclical basis in accordance with requirements in Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009.
Work is ongoing on the present cycle (2020-2024), covering pesticide use on grassland and fodder crops, vegetables, top and soft fruit, and arable and potato crops. The results will be published in due course on my Department’s pesticides website. Results from the cycles completed to date have been published previously. This information is available on our website at www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie. Information on pesticide sales data is collected in a separate process and is published on an annual basis.
Targets to reduce pesticide use within the EU as a whole, and also at a national level, are being discussed as part of the ongoing negotiations on the European Commission proposal for a Regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides.
The scale of pesticide use in Ireland is relatively low compared to many other countries and Ireland is making very good progress in reducing chemical pesticide use as measured by current EU indicators. Based on the most up-to-date information, these indicators show that Ireland has reduced the overall use of chemical pesticides by 49% compared to the baseline reference period of 2015-2017, and that the use of more hazardous pesticides has decreased by 28% over the same period.
412. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he is next scheduled to meet the CEO of Horse Racing Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44667/23]
View answerHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.
I met with the CEO of HRI on 20 July 2023. I have no immediate plans for further meetings with the CEO of HRI.
413. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he is next scheduled to meet the CEO of Greyhound Racing Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44668/23]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
I met with the CEO of RCÉ on 13th July 2023. I have no immediate plans for further meetings with the CEO of RCÉ.
414. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the accusations of animal abuse at the Ballinasloe fair (details supplied); if his Department’s inspectors were in attendance the entire time; if he will provide details of any reports they made; the number of animals that were confiscated; and if any prosecutions were brought. [44683/23]
View answerMy Department’s confidential animal welfare helpline has received correspondence regarding the Ballinasloe Fair. Case reports which are received are referred for investigation by Department officials and appropriate actions may be taken, up to and including prosecution.
Officers from my Department, the ISPCA and An Garda Síochána were in attendance during the course of the event. A number of animals were seized and surrendered on welfare ground during the course of the fair.
My Department does not comment further on cases which may be under investigation.
If the Deputy, or the public, are aware of any cases of suspected abuse or neglect, contact my Department's animal welfare helpline on:
Helpline Phone No: 01 607 2379
Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie
