Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 April 2017
143. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the other areas of data collection and collation that will be audited in the Government's external examination of An Garda Síochána; the road safety aspects that will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16595/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that on 28 March 2017 I made a detailed statement to the House in relation to roads policing matters and endeavoured to answer a range of questions which were put to me. I can inform the Deputy that since then I have written to the Chairperson of the Policing Authority in accordance with section 62O(6) of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005 (as amended) to report to me on its oversight of the issues which have arisen in relation to fixed charge notices and mandatory alcohol testing over the coming period. In particular, I requested that an investigation should be conducted to examine all issues arising, addressing to the extent possible the reasons why the issues have arisen; the incidence and scale of the issues; and the solutions implemented to ensure there is no recurrence. It is expected that the Authority will engage outside expertise to carry out this work. The Deputy will appreciate that we need to await the conclusion of the Authority's work in this area.
On the general issue of Garda data, I want to draw a clear distinction between the issues relating to data on alcohol breath testing and the official Recorded Crime Statistics which are published by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistics agency. The Garda figures for alcohol breath testing do not form part of the official recorded crime statistics and Deputies will, no doubt, recall that the systems for the production of the official crime statistics have been subject to very close scrutiny in recent years. The CSO have carried out two comprehensive reviews of Data Quality to underpin the ongoing publication of the official crime statistics, following on recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate. The latest such review (September 2016) records significant improvements and provides a framework to measure ongoing enhancements to the quality of crime data. I understand that further reviews of crime data quality are planned by the CSO, and it is important to recognise that the work of the CSO in this area provides us with an important degree of re-assurance that the concerns about crime data, which have been identified by the Garda Inspectorate, are being properly addressed. Over the last 18 months or so, important upgrades to the PULSE system and new incident recording processes have been implemented which require more detailed verification and supervision of the recording of crime incidents. It is expected that these improvements will support ongoing improvements in the quality of crime data.
The Deputy will recall that the Garda Inspectorate raised a number of concerns about crime data quality in its Report on Crime Investigation which was published in November 2014. The Inspectorate made detailed recommendation designed to improve the consistency and accuracy of data within the Garda PULSE system. Among the steps taken to respond to the concerns identified in the Inspectorate report was the establishment of a Data Quality Team in the Garda Information Services Centre (GISC), as well as measures to strengthen PULSE governance arrangements. These measures form part of broader steps to take forward the Inspectorate’s recommendations, including upgrading the technology for recording of crime and policing activity. I am advised that this process is ongoing and I have asked the Garda authorities to advise me of the outcome of this work.
