Thursday, 21 Jan 2016

Written Answers Nos. 89-95

Defence Forces Medicinal Products

Ceisteanna (89)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

89. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence the percentage of the Irish Defence Forces stock of anti-malarial drugs that is composed of Lariam. [2564/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence

As the Deputy will be aware, there are three anti-malarial drugs in use by the Defence Forces namely Lariam (mefloquine), Malarone and Doxycycline. The Deputy might note that the Defence Forces purchase pharmaceuticals on a demand basis. The purchasing policy is governed by the number of prescriptions presented, and for the individual overseas deployments. Currently, a small quantity of these medicines is held in Defence Forces pharmacies as detailed in the table below.

Drug	Total boxes	% of Total
Malarone	20 boxes	22.60%
Lariam	34 boxes	25.61%
Doxycycline	69 boxes	51.79%

The Deputy might note that both Malarone and Doxycycline require a daily dosage while Lariam requires a weekly dosage.

Probation and Welfare Service Staff

Ceisteanna (90)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

90. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on allegations (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2530/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

The concerns raised in the correspondence sent to the Deputy have been brought to the attention of the Director of the Probation Service who has advised me in the matter.

I am confident that the cooperative inter-agency response to the management and rehabilitation of offenders involving the Probation Service, Irish Prison Service, and the Garda Síochána working in collaboration with statutory, community and voluntary partners is the best way to target those recidivist offenders who are responsible for the largest percentage of crime in our communities. This approach was endorsed by the Penal Policy Review Group which recommended greater emphasis on promoting inter-agency cooperation for the effective management and rehabilitation of offenders.

Garda Deployment

Ceisteanna (91)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

91. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí attached to each local Garda Síochána drugs unit in Dublin in each of the years 2013 to 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2534/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of Gardaí assigned to each Divisional Drug Unit on the 31 December 2013, 2014 and on 30 November 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was as set out in the table below.

The overall response to the problem of drug misuse is set out in the National Drugs Strategy for the period 2009-2016. The Strategy provides a co-ordinated and comprehensive response to the issue of drug misuse and is very much founded on a partnership approach. Further to the Strategy and in line with the Policing Plan, An Garda Síochána continues to prioritise tackling drugs and organised crime as a core focus of its work. In this regard multi-disciplinary approaches are utilised to ensure that those involved in illicit drugs activity are effectively targeted including through the use of drugs legislation, the proceeds of crime legislation, money laundering legislation and the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau. The recently merged National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau continues to lead out the policing strategy for tackling drugs supply working closely with the local Divisional Drug Units. This approach allows for the co-ordinated use of Garda resources in tackling all forms of organised crime, including illicit drug activity nationwide. An Garda Síochána also has in place a number of strategic partnerships both nationally and internationally including with the Irish Customs Service, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, the Irish Naval Service, Europol, Interpol and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre Narcotics based in Lisbon.

Drugs Unit Personnel

Division	31/12/2013	31/12/2014	30/11/2015
D.M.R.S.C.	11	19	19
D.M.R.N.C	13	20	19
D.M.R.N.	27	16	25
D.M.R.E.	13	10	10
D.M.R.S.	23	17	16
D.M.R.W.	26	24	26
Total	113	106	115

Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations

Ceisteanna (92, 93)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

92. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the resources within her Department, including staff and the budget, she will allocate to following up on the issues raised in the report of the Flood-Mahon tribunal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2535/16]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

93. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the resources within her Department, including staff and budget, she will allocate to following up on the issues raised in the report of the Moriarty tribunal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2536/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the respective reports of the Moriarty Tribunal and the Mahon Tribunal made a number of recommendations which related to the responsibilities of different Government Departments.

In relation to my own remit, the Tribunals Bill is under review in my Department and, in this regard, I can assure the Deputy that all appropriate resources are available. Detailed consideration has had to be given to the full suites of recommendations made by the Moriarty Tribunal in its Report of March 2011 and by the Mahon Report in March 2012, to the relevant judgments delivered by the Supreme Court in July 2011 and October 2012, and to the developing experience regarding the operation of Commissions of Investigation. The review will be completed as soon as possible, but is dependent on other legislative priorities. Accordingly, the likely timeframe cannot be indicated with any certainty at this point.

The Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill is at an advanced stage of development and my officials are working with the Attorney General's Office to finalise the Bill. The Bill makes provision for a number of recommendations of the Mahon Tribunal including: the creation of a criminal offence concerning the misuse of confidential information for private gain; the creation of an offence of making payments to a third party while knowing or being reckless as to whether that third party intends to use the payments to pay bribes; the extension of presumptions to cover payments or gifts to family members and close associates of public officials; and certain recommendations on the liability of corporate bodies for corruption.

Taxi Regulations

Ceisteanna (94)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

94. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Carriage Office received any reports regarding the cloning of taxi plates in the Dublin area between 2003 and 2006; if an investigation was carried out; the outcome of the investigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2541/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

I am informed by the Garda authorities that Carriage Office records indicate that no reports referencing the cloning of taxi plates were received for the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2006. The Deputy will appreciate that any person with information relating to any type of criminal offence should bring it to the attention of An Garda Síochána.

Garda Recruitment

Ceisteanna (95)

James Bannon

Ceist:

95. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the next intake of Garda Síochána recruits to the Garda College, Templemore, in 2016 will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2586/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the next intake of Garda Síochána recruits to the Garda College has been provisionally scheduled for 11 April 2016.

This Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the capacity to provide effective and visible policing throughout the country. A crucial element of the Government's strategy is ensuring ongoing seamless recruitment to renew An Garda Síochána.

With this in mind Budget 2016 made provision for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí this year bringing to 1,150 the number of new Gardaí who will have been recruited since the reopening of the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014. So far 295 of these new recruits have been fully attested and are undertaking Garda duties in communities nationwide.

In order to fulfil the commitment for 2016 a new recruitment campaign was launched in last November. That campaign, which closed on 6 January, has attracted strong interest with in the region of 16,500 applications received by the Public Appointments Service which is organising the competition on behalf of the Garda Commissioner. Successful applicants from this campaign can expect to start entering the Garda College from mid-year onwards.