Michael McNamara
Question:164. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice how many persons fingerprints were checked against the Schengen Information System in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3267/24]
View answerWednesday, 24 January 2024
Questions (164)
Written answers
As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) for the management and administration of Garda business. This includes all operational policing matters and the maintenance of Garda IT systems. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.
The Schengen Information System (SIS) went live in Ireland on 15 March 2021, and enables An Garda Síochána to further improve the safety and security of the public with access to the most widely used, and largest, information sharing system for security and border management in Europe.
On the 7 March 2023, the upgraded SIS entered into operation. The upgraded SIS is enhanced to include new categories of alerts, biometrics such as palm prints, fingerprints, and DNA records for missing persons, and additional tools to combat crime and terrorism. These upgrades aim to provide national authorities with more complete and reliable information to enhance security and border management in Europe.
An Garda Síochána has responsibility for system connectivity and international communications regarding SIS. The national SIRENE Bureau is located at Garda Headquarters and is supported by the National SIS Office, also located in Garda Headquarters.
To be of assistance, I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been informed that for 2023, there were 3,359 SIS Person Fingerprint searches against Ireland's National Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). There were 1,033 SIS Person (Person Details) requests made against AFIS in 2023.
Person Detail requests relate to the checking of a person's details against person details held on AFIS and, where a match occurs and it is lawful to do so, these fingerprints are then attached to the Irish SIS Alert and submitted to SIS.
Attaching fingerprints to an Irish SIS Alert and submitting the alert to SIS results in an automatic check against SIS AFIS at the point of creation.
All figures supplied are operational and subject to change and are correct as of 23 January 2024.