Written Answers Nos. 326-347
326. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will re-examine an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person based on the new information provided (details supplied). [20740/24]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.
I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 11 September 2023. Based on the evidence they supplied, their application for DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 2 October 2023 and was given the right to request a review or an appeal.
Further medical evidence was received on 28 November 2023 and a review of this decision was carried out. The original decision was upheld, and the person concerned was notified in writing on 25 January 2024. They were also advised of their right to a request a review or an appeal.
A new review of entitlements will now be conducted by my officials in light of the additional medical evidence you have now provided in respect of this individual. Once a determination is made, the person concerned will be notified in writing, informing them of the outcome of this review.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
327. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of section 317 appeals with the appeals office; the average and median time for a decision on section 317 appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20744/24]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals system is underpinned by Chapter 2 of Part 10 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 and the Social Welfare (Appeals) Regulations (SI 108/98). Under the legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer under section 317 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 in the light of new evidence or new facts.
There are currently 550 section 317 appeal reviews with the appeals office for determination. A total of 412 section 317 reviews were finalised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office from the beginning of 2023 up to and including the 30th April 2024. The average time taken to finalise these reviews being 9.1 weeks and the median time being 37.9 weeks.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
328. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding provided to beneficiaries of temporary protection to reimburse them for taxi-related fees through the social welfare system from March 2022 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20782/24]
View answer329. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of funding provided to beneficiaries of international protection applicants to reimburse them for taxi-related fees through the social welfare system from 2019 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20783/24]
View answer330. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reassess the means test threshold for carer’s allowance, where people who are providing care are at risk of falling below the poverty line and require higher support from Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20799/24]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year.
The Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 96,670 people getting this payment.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance.
In June 2022 the income disregards were increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner. The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was also increased from €20,000 to €50,000.
Next month the weekly income disregard will be further increased from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.
Since 2022, this amounts to cumulative increases to the income disregards of €117.50 for a single carer and €235.00 for a carer who is part of couple. These are the highest disregards in the Social Welfare system.
These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carers Allowance system for the first time.
It is important to acknowledge also that there are a range of other supports for carers provided by my department which are not based on a means assessment, such as the Carer’s Support Grant, Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care Allowance.
In acknowledgement of the particular challenges faced in light of the current cost of living crisis, I also announced a number of measures as part of Budget 2024, which directly benefit family carers:
• In November, a €400 a lump sum was paid to people receiving the Carers Support Grant.
• A Christmas Bonus Double Payment was paid to people in receipt of Carers Allowance and Carer’s Benefit.
• January saw an increase of €12 in maximum personal rate of weekly carers payments, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates.
• In late January/early February, a once-off double Cost of Living Support Payment was paid to qualifying Social Protection recipients, including carers.
Notwithstanding these improvements, as part of Budget 2024, I announced my intention to establish an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine and review the system of means test for carers payments.
I have asked this Group to report to me on the matter by Quarter 3 of this year.
I can assure the Deputy that I am keenly aware of the key role that family carers play in Irish society and the challenges they face, and I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by my department under review.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
331. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason schools that have recently been designated as DEIS schools are not being included in the hot school meals scheme; if she will ensure that a school (details supplied) is granted eligibility for the scheme as soon as possible, as it requires the same support as other DEIS schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20801/24]
View answerThe objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Following the expansion of the programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.
The Hot School Meal option of the programme was introduced in 2019 and is currently only available in primary schools. My immediate priority has been to bring primary schools into the scheme so that any child born today will have a hot meal when they start school.
Since my appointment as Minister for Social Protection, I have increased the number of schools with access to the Hot School Meal option. I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years. In this regard, I have rolled out the Hot School Meals to all DEIS primary and Special schools from September 2023. I have also extended the Hot School Meals to a further 900 Primary schools from April 8th 2024. The remaining primary schools have since been contacted to express an interest in joining the scheme from September 2024.
Secondary schools in the DEIS scheme prior to 2022 qualify for a breakfast or snack and a lunch or dinner. Newly designated DEIS secondary schools qualify for a cold lunch option. Any additional measures to expand the coverage of other meal options to new DEIS secondary schools would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
My officials advise me that the school referred to by the Deputy is currently in receipt of a breakfast and cold lunch option for the full cohort of pupils.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
332. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the plans she has in place to ensure that children with coeliac disease are properly catered for in the school meals programme; if she will provide additional funding to ensure same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20830/24]
View answerThe objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Following the expansion of the programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.
Funding under the School Meals Programme can be provided for breakfast, snack, cold lunch, dinner, hot school meals and after-school clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided. These meals must meet the nutritional standards for the school meals programme.
The Nutritional Standards for School Meals were developed by a working group led by the Health and Wellbeing Programme in the Department of Health, in consultation with Safefood and the Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme in the Health Service Executive.
Each school is required to provide a menu choice of at least two different meals per day and where required, provide a vegetarian or vegan option and an option that caters for students’ religious and cultural dietary requirements. The food provided for those with allergies must comply with the Standards. Guidance on allergies such as coeliac disease and gluten intolerance is available from Safefood.net
Schools are responsible for choosing their own School Meals supplier on the open market in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with Public Procurement rules. Under tender documentation as stipulated by the Schools Procurement’s Unit, the menu is to accommodate those with food intolerances and allergies, from lactose-free to vegetarian to gluten-free, for example. In addition, the supplier is to check with the school upon award of the contract, the details of such to accommodate those potential customers and the supplier must provide clearly visible menu boards with an allergens list.
The Department provides the funding directly to the schools, who are then required to procure the provision of the food in compliance with Government procurement rules and with relevant Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, Food Safety regulations and the Nutritional Standards for School Meals. It is the responsibility of the school to source a supplier that can meet the dietary requirements of all of their pupils.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
333. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 454 of 30 April 2024. if he will review the matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20858/24]
View answerAs previously advised, officials in my Department are currently reviewing this person's backdated entitlement to Disability Allowance, beyond the current award date.
An information request was sent to the person concerned on 30 April 2024, requesting that they provide their partner's last payslip for the year ending 2022 and 2023. They were also requested to provide bank statements for all accounts held for the period September 2022 to September 2023. This information is required to enable a Deciding Officer to establish if an entitlement to DA existed for the period in question.
On receipt of this information, a decision will be made on the suitability of backdating of a DA payment. The person will be informed in writing of the outcome of this review.
If an entitlement to DA is considered appropriate for this period, arrears due would be offset against the current debt from their Blind Pension.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
334. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an invalidity pension appeal (details supplied) which has been in processing for a number of months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20894/24]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in light of new evidence or new facts.
I am advised that the person concerned subsequently submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer agreed to review the appeal on foot of this additional evidence. Regrettably the Appeals Officer did not find any new facts or fresh evidence which warranted a revision of his earlier decision.
The person concerned has submitted further additional evidence and an Appeals Officer has agreed to review the case again. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of his appeal has been finalised.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
335. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will liaise with her British counterparts to establish a body akin to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains to perform a similar function in relation to the 'disappeared' of the 1916-1923 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20260/24]
View answer356. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will establish a body akin to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains to perform a similar function in relation to the 'disappeared' of the 1916-1923 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20259/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 356 together.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) was established by the Governments of Ireland and the UK, arising directly from the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The Good Friday Agreement was the culmination of significant effort to end the most recent phase of the Northern Ireland-related conflict which claimed over 3,000 lives during a thirty year period (1969 – 1998), and what we refer to as ‘the Troubles’.
The Good Friday Agreement specifically provided that it was essential to acknowledge and address the suffering of the victims of violence as a necessary element of reconciliation. It is in this context that the agreement on the formation of the ICLVR was signed by the UK and Irish Governments.
The ICLVR is responsible for facilitating the location of the remains of victims of paramilitary violence (known as 'the Disappeared') who were murdered and secretly buried arising from the troubles. In practice, the Commission is reliant on information provided by people who were close enough to individuals and to events at the time to have information that would be considered credible. Those who come forward with information are guaranteed confidentiality and the law provides immunity from prosecution to individuals in respect of information gathered by the Commission in the course of its work - it was considered necessary to give these guarantees in order to get the information needed.
The Deputy will appreciate that the investigation of historic cases from the period 1916 – 1923 would, at this remove, be quite a different exercise to that engaged in by the ICLVR and one that would be missing the important input of individuals with first hand knowledge of the events concerned. I hope that the Deputy will understand that in these circumstances, the practical extent to which a body analogous to the ICLVR could provide a useful means of addressing these cases would be open to question.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge and remember the families and friends of missing people in Ireland and the ongoing pain and the lack of closure they suffer in the absence of the remains of their loved ones. I am committed to doing everything possible to ensure families have the best chance of having missing person cases resolved, and since 2023, the details of unidentified remains held by the Coroners in the State have been published by my Department, in recognition that efforts continue to bring about such closure.
336. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the number that were in the international protection system awaiting either a decision on their international protection application or their application for leave to remain; the number that had been granted status either international protection or leave to remain; the number that had received a deportation order; the number that do not fall within any of the foregoing categories up to the end of March 2024; and if she will outline the basis upon which the latter group is provided accommodation by IPAS [20272/24]
View answerThe information requested is currently being compiled and I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department is working to have a response ready shortly.
337. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the number of international protection applicants who were living outside direct provision in private-rented accommodation at the end of March 2024. [20274/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) under the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is responsible for the provision of accommodation and related services to applicants who wish to accept such services.
I am advised that there are currently 29,456 applicants in IPAS accommodation as of 28 April 2024. I further understand that around 5,546 have been granted some form of status, while the remainder of applicants occupying IPAS accommodation have yet to receive a decision. As the Deputy will appreciate the numbers fluctuate on an ongoing basis.
Applicants for international protection are required to cooperate with the international protection process. This includes ensuring their Temporary Residence Card is in date and their address is up-to-date with the International Protection Office (IPO). While the IPO records each applicant’s address, this does not include categorising their specific accommodation type, whether private or rented.
338. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice when the next citizenship ceremony is planned to take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21239/24]
View answer379. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice when the next citizenship ceremony to complete the naturalisation process is taking place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20486/24]
View answer382. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the date and location of the next citizenship ceremony; the number of ceremonies that will take place in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20606/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 338, 379 and 382 together.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the next Citizenship Ceremonies will take place on 10 and 11 June 2024 at the INEC Killarney and also on 20 and 21 June at the Convention Centre Dublin.
Invitations to successful applicants will be begin to issue shortly.
Information on Citizenship Ceremonies is available on my Department’s website here: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/citizenship-ceremonies/
All invitees attending a Citizenship Ceremony are advised to ensure that they have an up to date IRP Card that provides details of their permission to remain in the State on the date of the ceremony.
339. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice the average waiting times for inquests, per county, for the past five years, in tabular form; the number of coroners, per county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20105/24]
View answerCoroners are independent quasi-judicial office holders whose core function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths.
The coroners service comprises a network of coroners located in districts throughout the country. All coronial districts, with the exception of Dublin, are the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority.
I recognise the significance and sensitivity of the inquest process for loved ones of the bereaved, and that delays in holding inquests can cause distress for families of the deceased. A decision to direct a post mortem examination and / or hold an Inquest in to the death of a person, in any particular set of circumstances, rests with the individual coroner. My Department has no role in directing the work of Coroners during the death investigation function.
I understand that the holding of certain inquests may await receipt of a final post-mortem report from a pathologist, or the outcome of an ongoing investigation by An Garda Síochána or other statutory bodies (such as the HSE, GSOC, the Inspector of Prisons, or the Health and Safety Authority). Inquests may also be unable to proceed when the Coroner is awaiting information from a family, their legal representatives, or other interested parties.
Information on the number of Inquests heard in each Coronial district can be found at www.gov.ie/en/collection/4dc84-coroners-annual-returns-2018-2020/
The Department does not collate data in respect of the waiting periods for Inquests within coronial districts.
The number of coroners, per county, is set out in the table below:
Table 1: Number of Coroners per County
|
Area |
Number of Coroners |
|
Carlow |
1 |
|
Cavan |
1 |
|
Clare |
1 |
|
Cork |
3 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
|
Dublin |
4 |
|
Galway |
3 |
|
Kerry |
2 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
|
Laois |
1 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
|
Longford |
1 |
|
Louth |
1 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
|
Meath |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
2 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
|
Roscommon |
1 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
|
Tipperary |
1 |
|
Waterford |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
|
Wicklow |
2 |
On 20 October 2023, I launched a wide-ranging public consultation exercise to inform the development of proposals for comprehensive reform of the Coroner Service in Ireland, which closed on 19 January 2024.
The consultation provided an opportunity for members of the public, stakeholder groups and members of the Oireachtas to express their views, express observations and provide proposals on how the Coroner Service might be enhanced into the future. The inquest process is one of the key issues which is being considered as part of this consultation exercise.
I am pleased to say that there was a very high level of public engagement in the consultation process with approximately 250 submissions received across both surveys. Departmental officials are currently analysing the information gathered during the consultation process with a view to bring forward proposals for the reform the Coroner Service. I expect that such proposals will include provisions for improved data collation and publication.
340. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of juvenile liaison officers, by rank, attached to the Meath Garda division as of 29 April 2024; and if she will provide same as of 1 January 2022, in tabular form. [20160/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the deployment of personnel and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this deployment under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of available resources.
I am advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in implementing the Garda Diversion Programme. Their role includes the administration of formal and informal cautions as well as appropriate supervision of children who have been admitted to the Diversion Programme, as provided in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that on 1 January 2022 and on 29 April 2024 there were fewer than ten JLO's assigned to Meath Division.
I am also advised that data is not released by An Garda Síochána for counts less than 10 for data protection reasons.
341. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of new Garda unmarked Garda cars and marked Garda vans that came into the fleet in 2023 and to date in 2024; and the number of these types of vehicles withdrawn from the fleet during this period, in tabular form. [20161/24]
View answerThe Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime. An Garda Síochána has been allocated unprecedented funding of over €2.35 billion for 2024 – this is a 25% increase since 2020.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda resources. I am advised by An Garda Síochána that the purchase and allocation of vehicles is made on the basis of identified operational demands and that the availability of resources is reviewed on a continual basis.
The table below outlines the number of unmarked Garda cars and marked Garda vans allocated and removed from the fleet in 2023 and to 30 April 2024.
Unmarked Garda Cars
|
Allocated |
Removed |
|
|
2023 |
158 |
53 |
|
2024 to 30.04.24 |
42 |
15 |
Marked Garda Vans
|
Allocated |
Removed |
|
|
2023 |
9 |
7 |
|
2024 to 30.04.24 |
31 |
0 |
All information is operational and may be subject to change.
342. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 833 of 9 April 2024, if she is now in a position to provide the data requested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20171/24]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that since 2010, the total number of people who have acquired Irish citizenship through naturalisation is 181,233.
The attached document provides a breakdown by nationality of birth as requested by the Deputy over the fourteen year period in question, and for the first 3 months of 2024.
The 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 and people granted International Protection where the requirement is 3 years. In all cases, the final 12 months must be continuous residence in the State with up to 70 days allowed to facilitate foreign travel for business family or holiday purposes.
343. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide the metrics she used to determine that 80% of persons seeking international protection had arrived in this jurisdiction via Northern Ireland; the date on which she and/or her officials began recording data in respect of migration figures via Northern Ireland to the State; and if she will provide the sample size of data used to determine the 80% figure. [20185/24]
View answer361. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice to provide the data underpinning her recent claim that 80% of all asylum seekers in Ireland are entering the State via the North; to detail the methodology for the collection of this data; and to detail the timeframe over which this data was collected. [20281/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 361 together.
The patterns in international protection applications vary over time and the Government’s response adapts accordingly. It has long been the case that a significant number of people apply for international protection for the first time in the International Protection Office (IPO). This has increased in 2024. To COB on 29th April 2024, there have been 7,054 applications for International Protection at the IPO. Of these 6,468 (91.7%) were made at the IPO for the first time and not at a port of entry.
There are a number of circumstances in which someone might apply in the IPO without first applying at a port of entry. They may enter at an airport with valid documentation for example but choose not to apply at that time. Or they may apply having been in the State for a period previously, for example on foot of a different permission to remain. A certain number of persons may also enter the state at a port of airport but not be detected through the standard immigration controls.
All of these various circumstances undoubtedly arise, however, my Department’s assessment, based on the experience of staff and others working in the field, and based on the material gathered at interviews, is that most of those currently applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. Applicants are asked to outline their travel route at interview but, owing to the varied and unverifiable nature of those accounts, that information is not collated in a structured way. It is also not feasible to physically verify a person's travel over the land border.
While the nature of this data is not capable of full verification, an overall operational assessment, including as to evolving trends in applicant, can however be made and this is the basis of the advice to me on this matter. The circumstances and trends in application will continue to be kept under review but the Deputy will appreciate that it as Minister I need to have regard to the assessment as is currently available to me.
344. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the date on which and precise time she was notified by the UK's Home Secretary that their meeting of 29 April 2024 was cancelled; if she has made efforts to reschedule this meeting; and if any of her officials are part of the Tánaiste's attendance at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. [20186/24]
View answerMy meeting with the UK Home Secretary was postponed due to unavoidable diary commitments.
Senior officials from my Department were in attendance at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
I look forward to the meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon.
I can assure the Deputy that there is extensive engagement and cooperation at all levels between my Department’s officials and their Home Office counterparts, as well as significant operational cooperation between the Gardaí, UK policing services and the PSNI. This strong practical engagement and cooperation serves the mutual interests of both Ireland and the United Kingdom, and continues to function well.
345. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of members of An Garda Síochána who have been trained on bicycles in each Garda region; the number of bicycles currently in use by An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20244/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda equipment. The Deputy will also appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for arranging for the training of Garda members and civilian staff. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are currently 573 bikes issued nationally for use by Garda members engaged in bike patrols.
The table below, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, provides a breakdown of Garda members who have received mountain bike training from 2019 to date. This is a cumulative figure across the years in question.
Please note that this information is operational and may be subject to change.
|
Region |
Total (2019 - 2024) |
|
DMR |
199 |
|
East |
155 |
|
Northwest |
128 |
|
Southwest |
172 |
|
TOTAL |
654 |
346. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of electrically assisted bicycles An Garda Síochána has; the number of Gardaí trained for patrolling duties on e-bikes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20245/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda equipment. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.
The Garda authorities have advised that there are currently eight E-Bikes being trialled by An Garda Síochána.
I am further informed that as this is a pilot scheme, there is no specific E-Bike training programme in place. I am advised that the members involved in the pilot scheme have received appropriate instruction as to their use.
347. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice whether this is an “intercept detection” offence only by An Garda Síochána or whether such offences can be reported by the public to their Garda stations or Traffic Watch; the number of drivers prosecuted from 2020 to 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20247/24]
View answerIt has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.
