Written Answers Nos. 222-241
222. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe for the opening of the new Garda regional and divisional headquarters in Galway city; the stage the development is at; when it will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41292/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, OPW, which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in these matters.
I am, however, advised by the Garda authorities that Garda management are liaising with the OPW on an ongoing basis in relation to the new Regional and Divisional Headquarters for Galway with a view to the station being operational as soon as possible.
I understand that it is anticipated that the project will be completed in early 2018.
223. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of open applications for Stamp 4 being processed; the average waiting time for a decision to be made on the granting of Stamp 4; if he will allocate more resources to ensure applications are dealt with in a more timely fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41313/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, of my Department that a Stamp 4 signifies that the bearer has a particular immigration permission, which allows them to live and work in the State without the need for a work permit.
I am further informed that, because cases which may lead to a Stamp 4 permission being granted will have come through a wide range of immigration pathways and processes it is not possible to give an average processing time across the board. It is also the case, depending on the nature of the case, the extent of processing required will vary significantly.
I am advised, however, that at the end of 2016, approximately 59,000 people held a Stamp 4 status. Each year, approximately 18,000 applications, mostly coming through the immigration and international protection streams, are processed by INIS. Every effort is made to process applications within statutory limits and in a reasonable time frame and the allocation of resources across all processing areas of INIS is kept under regular review.
224. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the asylum application of a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41327/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, of my Department that the person concerned has no application pending for asylum. The person concerned has had their permission to remain in the State renewed for a further one-year period to 16 December 2017. This decision was conveyed in writing to the person concerned by registered post dated 14 December 2016.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long-awaited.
225. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will examine the case of persons (details supplied) who have applied for naturalisation and due to circumstances outside their control have been unable to advance their application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41458/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, of my Department that the applications for a certificate of naturalisation from the persons referred to by the Deputy are being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicants meet the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation, such as good character and lawful residence.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and I know the Deputy will appreciate that it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
Persons making an application for a certificate of naturalisation are required to provide satisfactory evidence of their identity and nationality. This is usually in the form of a currently valid passport and may include other original supporting documents, such as a birth certificate and marriage certificate. In rare circumstances where an applicant cannot produce their passport, birth certificate or other supporting documents the applicant will be required to provide a full explanation. Such explanation should, where possible, be supported by satisfactory evidence that they have attempted to obtain such documentation and correspondence from the relevant authorities or embassy responsible for the issuing of passports and birth certificates in their country, clearly stating the reasons the documentation cannot be provided. INIS will consider the reasons given and, if satisfied it is for reasons genuinely beyond the applicant's control, may suggest alternative means to the person to assist in establishing their identity and nationality.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long-awaited.
226. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda cars and vans that are Bluetooth enabled; the number that are connected to the central information technology system of the force; the number not equipped for hands-free phone connections; the number not enabled for GPS tracking; and the general geographic area of use in this regard. [41469/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda equipment and resources are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government recognises that Gardaí must have the modern technology and resources necessary to detect and investigate crimes, and to prevent loss and harm to citizens and their property on a 24/7 basis. Accordingly, the Garda Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016 to 2021 sets out a series of initiatives which will enable An Garda Síochána deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in the fight against crime.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that Garda policy restricts generally the use of hands-free car kits while driving and that most marked cars are not Bluetooth enabled. However, I understand that a small number of unmarked vehicles have hands-free kits installed as required for specialist roles. I am further informed that some 2,266 Garda vehicles operating nationwide are fitted with TETRA radios and the majority of these vehicles have GPS tracking enabled.
In addition, An Garda Síochána operate Automatic Number Plate Recognition Systems, ANPR, in approximately 95 Garda vehicles deployed nationally which are connected to the central ANPR system to allow real time information to flow between the vehicle and the central processing unit.
227. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of refugees now relocated or resettled here under the Irish refugee protection programme established in September 2015. [41472/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra234. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 40 of 16 February 2017, the number of refugees who have arrived here under the resettlement and relocation programmes in 2016 and to date in 2017, in view of the fact that the Government has pledged to accept a total of 4,000 persons into the State by the end of 2017; the anticipated number to arrive during the past three months of 2017; the plans in place to ensure this commitment will be met by the end of 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41535/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 234 together.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme, IRPP, was established by Government Decision on 10 September 2015 as a direct response to the humanitarian crisis that developed in Southern Europe as a consequence of mass migration from areas of conflict in the Middle East and Africa. Under this programme, the Government has pledged to accept a total of 4,000 persons into the State.
Table 1 sets out the position regarding the assignment of the 4,000.
Table 1: Table of Total Numbers under Government Decision
|
Relocation Strand |
Numbers |
|
Council Decision 2015/1523 |
600 |
|
Council Decision 2015/1601 |
2,022 |
|
Total Relocation |
2,622 |
|
Resettlement Strand |
|
|
Government Decision 09/06/15 |
520 |
|
Government Decision 06/07/16 |
260 |
|
Government Decision 29/11/16 |
260 |
|
Total Resettlement |
1,040 |
|
Total Unaccompanied Minors Calais (Government Decision 10/11/16) |
200 (up to) |
|
Mechanism as yet undecided |
138 |
|
Grand Total |
4000 |
The relevant instruments - the two Council relocation Decisions and the three separate Government decisions on programme refugees - envisaged an end-2017 time frame for the bulk of the cohort. However, it is important to note that the Government commitment to accept 4,000 people was not time-limited.
In summary, as of 2 October 2017, the current numbers of persons that have arrived under both the programme refugee resettlement strand and the relocated asylum seeker strands of the programme are set out in Table 2 and Table 3, respectively:
Table 2: Resettled Programme Refugees
|
Year |
People |
Adults |
Minors |
Age 0-4 |
Age 5-12 |
Age 13-17 |
|
Year |
People |
Adults |
Minors |
Age 0-4 |
Age 5-12 |
Age 13-17 |
|
2015 |
163 |
73 |
90 |
32 |
46 |
12 |
|
2016 |
356 |
167 |
189 |
53 |
101 |
35 |
|
2017 |
266 |
119 |
147 |
51 |
83 |
13 |
|
Total |
785 |
359 |
426 |
136 |
230 |
60 |
As regards the programme refugee strand of the IRPP, Ireland had taken in 519 of the original commitment of 520 by the end of 2016, a year ahead of schedule. Last year the Government doubled its commitment under resettlement to 1,040 and the number of persons who have arrived from Lebanon under refugee resettlement now stands at 785. A balance of about 270 refugees in Lebanon have been selected, assessed under the programme refugee resettlement strand and will arrive early next year, contingent on a range of factors including processing capacity by overseas partners and available space in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres, EROCs, in Ireland.
Table 3: Relocated Asylum Seekers
|
Year |
People |
Adults |
Minors |
Age 0-4 |
Age 5-12 |
Age 13-17 |
|
Year |
People |
Adults |
Minors |
Age 0-4 |
Age 5-12 |
Age 13-17 |
|
2016 |
240 |
132 |
108 |
42 |
45 |
21 |
|
2017 |
312 |
189 |
123 |
48 |
55 |
20 |
|
Total |
552 |
321 |
231 |
90 |
100 |
41 |
In terms of the relocation aspect of the IRPP, allocations under the relevant EU Council Decisions are composed of three elements:
- an intake from Greece of 1,089 asylum seekers;
- an intake from Italy of 623 asylum seekers; and
- an allocation of 910 asylum seekers which has not been assigned by the European Commission to either Italy or Greece.
Ireland has met its commitment to formally pledge for 1,089 people from Greece by the end of this month. Some 552 of the allocation are already in the State. A further 462 have been assessed and are awaiting transportation, with 68 persons due for arrival in early October and hundreds more over the following months. Sufficient missions to fill any quota remaining under this strand of the Programme will be scheduled with the Greek authorities. Lack of cooperation in relation to security assessments by the Italian authorities has prevented any progress being made in relation to the small numbers registered in Italy. However, efforts remain ongoing to try to resolve this impasse.
In terms of the unallocated portion contained in the two EU Council Decisions referred to above, which in the case of Ireland amounts to approximately 910 persons, Ireland cannot access this component because they have not been allocated by the Commission. Given that the numbers anticipated by the two Council Decisions (160,000) do not actually exist on the ground in either Italy or Greece, in terms of eligible nationalities (in Greece this is overwhelmingly Syrian and in Italy, Eritrean), it is highly unlikely that this element of the Council Decision will be implemented by any Member State.
Ireland is doing everything it can to give effect to the EU relocation Decisions but as can be seen from the above information these Decisions are unlikely to yield the anticipated numbers for reasons entirely outside of Ireland’s control. In the areas where Ireland has been able to implement its programmes - Lebanon, in the case of programme refugees; and Greece, in the case of relocated asylum seekers - we have been able to meet or surpass its obligations.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme is working to ensure that all persons selected for relocation are transported to Ireland as soon as possible. Officials are currently undertaking a full review of the IRPP with a view to establishing how best Ireland’s remaining obligations might be met and through what channels. As a start, I can inform the Deputy that Ireland has made a new commitment to take a further 330 programme refugees on top of its existing commitment to take 1,040. The 330 additional programme refugees forms part of Ireland's commitment to take 4,000 migrants but is not yet reflected in Table 1 above as Ireland awaits developments at EU level and the completion of the review I have requested after which appropriate decisions can be taken by Government and the necessary adjustments can be made.
I can assure the Deputy that if, despite all Ireland's efforts, the relocation mechanism does not permit Ireland to take in the number of asylum seekers foreseen under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, then the Government commitment to take in 4,000 people remains and Ireland will take in these numbers through other mechanisms. Decisions taken at EU level with regard to the ongoing migration crisis will of course impact on any such deliberations.
228. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons in direct provision in each direct provision centre for one year or less, one to two years, two to three years, three to four years, four to five years and more than five years in 2016 and to date in 2017. [41473/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe statistical information requested by the Deputy is not currently available in the detail required.
Due to the complexities in gathering the statistics of, "duration of stay", for RIA residents by individual centres, due in part to the constant inflow and outflow of said persons, these details are only compiled on an annual basis. The most recent information available is included in the Reception and Integration Agency Annual report 2016, which is published on the RIA website and can be accessed using the following link: http://www.ria.gov.ie/en/RIA/Pages/RIA_Annual_Report_2016.
Information on the overall duration of stay (not broken down by centre) is compiled and published on the RIA website on a monthly basis. The August 2017 monthly report provides the most recent information available on the duration of stay of persons residing in State provided accommodation (based on their last entry into the State accommodation system). This information is also available on the RIA website and can be found using the following link:http://www.ria.gov.ie/en/RIA/RIA%20Monthly%20Report%20August%202017.pdf/Files/RIA%20Monthly%20Report%20August%202017.pdf.
229. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the detail of his Department's engagement with a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41480/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Santa Marta Group is a global alliance of international Police Chiefs and religious leaders which partners with civil society and business leaders with the objective of eradicating human trafficking and modern day slavery. Within this Group, Ireland leads the North Atlantic Fisheries Project with the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, to prevent human trafficking and labour exploitation in the fisheries industry in the North Atlantic. The Deputy will appreciate there are benefits in exchanging best practice both with policing agencies and civil society organisations in other jurisdictions facing similar challenges, thus informing both policing operations and policy development here.
In Ireland, the stakeholders group is chaired by An Garda Síochána. Officials of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit and of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, of my Department participate as members of this stakeholders group, in accordance with their functions in the areas of anti-human trafficking policy and immigration policy respectively. At the establishment of the Irish stakeholders group, my Department provided funding of €12,900 toward the administrative costs of An Garda Síochána's involvement, with matching funding provided by agencies in other jurisdictions.
230. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the names and positions of the members of the interdepartmental taskforce established to examine the implications of the NVH v. the Minister for Justice and Equality judgment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41515/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra231. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the plans Ireland has to opt into the recast Reception Conditions Directive, 2013/33/EU, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41532/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together.
Ireland did not opt-in to the 2003 Reception Conditions Directive or its 2013 recast. The main reason for this are the provisions relating to access to the labour market for protection applicants which are contrary to national law. Section 9(4)(b) of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) provided that applicants for international protection shall not seek, enter or be in employment or engage for gain in any business, trade or profession during the period before the final determination of their application. This provision is restated in Section 16(3)(b) of the International Protection Act 2015.
The Supreme Court judgment in the case of N.V.H. v. the Minister for Justice and Equality found, on 30 May last, that in an international protection system with no temporal limits as to when the application process will be concluded, an absolute prohibition on the right to work for international protection applicants is contrary to the right to seek employment under the constitution. The Court recognises that this is a matter for the Executive and Legislature to consider and accordingly has adjourned consideration of the Order the Court should make for a period of six months.
Following the approval of Government, an Interdepartmental Taskforce was established to examine the wide-ranging implications of the judgment, and to consider appropriate solutions. The Taskforce is also examining the legal options available to the State to give effect to the Judgement. The Taskforce is being chaired by Mr. Michael Kirrane, Acting Director General, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service and is made up of officials, primarily at Principal Officer level, from the following Departments: Employment Affairs and Social Protection; Education and Skills; Health; Business, Enterprise and Innovation; Housing, Planning and Local Government; Children and Youth Affairs; Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance; Justice and Equality and the Office of the Attorney General.
The Taskforce is due to report back to Government shortly in preparation for the State's response to the Court judgment. In the circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the possibility of Ireland opting-in to the recast Reception Conditions Directive in advance of the Taskforce completing its deliberations on the matter.
232. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 40 of 16 February 2017, the number of unaccompanied minors that have arrived here to date; the plans in place to fulfil this commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41533/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I said in Dáil Éireann on 28 September 2017 when I spoke during the Statements on the Report by the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on Immigration, Asylum and the Refugee Crisis, the Government is committed to providing protection to those who are most vulnerable. Priority is given to family groups and unaccompanied children. Following the adoption last November of the All-Party Motion on the Calais Unaccompanied Minors, concerted efforts have been made to provide a pathway here for such unaccompanied minors as wished to come to Ireland. My colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Katherine Zappone, established the Calais Special Project within Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Working directly with the French authorities, any unaccompanied minors who have been identified as suitable for relocation here have been accepted and provided with the appropriate supports. No unaccompanied minor who has asked to come to Ireland has been refused. In total, 26 young persons have been relocated to-date. Twenty-three are currently in the care of Tusla and the remainder have been reunited with family members already living in Ireland. Family tracing and reunification processes are underway for those who remain unaccompanied. I understand that further arrivals are expected under the Calais Special Project and I wish to commend all those involved in the Project for their commitment to implementing this most important commitment.
In addition, Tusla, which has statutory responsibility for the care of unaccompanied minors, has agreed to take up to 20 unaccompanied minors under the EU relocation programme. To date, six unaccompanied minors, under the stricter Irish definition, have been relocated from Greece but there are relatively few unaccompanied minors available in the cohort of nationalities eligible for the relocation. Efforts continue to seek further transfers within this cohort and it is hoped that further unaccompanied minors may arrive from Greece. However, despite all Ireland's efforts it has proven extraordinarily difficult to find unaccompanied minors in Greece within the cohort eligible for relocation.
All strands of the IRPP have had a strong focus on families and children and almost half of the admissions to-date have been minors, with almost 85% of this figure aged under 12.
233. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the integration strategy for refugees and asylum seekers who arrive here; if he will provide a copy of the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41534/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Migrant Integration Strategy, which was published on 7 February 2017, offers a blueprint for the Government's action to promote the integration of all migrants legally in the State, including refugees, for the period to 2020. It sees integration as a two-way process involving action by migrants and non-migrants alike. The Strategy comprises 76 specific actions under a number of themes to be implemented by Government Departments and Agencies, the business sector, employers, local authorities and community and voluntary sector organisations. Among other actions, the Strategy requires Government Departments and agencies to address integration in strategy statements; to ensure appropriate, regular engagement with NGOs representing migrant groups; and to provide intercultural awareness training.
It includes targeted initiatives to promote migrant entrepreneurship, to encourage migrants into the Civil Service and onto State boards and to improve English language provision in education and training. It is accompanied by a Communities Integration Fund, which I launched earlier this year, which has provided funding for 131 initiatives by community organisations aimed at promoting migrant integration and facilitating social inclusion at the local level.
The strategy is available on the website of the Office for Promotion for Migrant Integration at: www.integration.ie.
With regard to refugees and asylum seekers arriving under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, a specific programme of supports is put in place to assist their integration into Irish society. A personal needs assessment is undertaken by IRPP officials prior to the person's arrival in the State. Language training and other orientation supports are provided in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres to facilitate the person's integration. Funding is also provided to local authorities to recruit resettlement support workers and intercultural workers to support the integration process for these refugees for 12-18 months following their resettlement or relocation into the local community. This funding comes through grants supported by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
235. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedures in place when a member of the public is arrested and taken into Garda custody; and if a person in custody suffers from serious ill health and displays symptoms of same in custody, the protocol that to ensure duty of care. [41536/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe treatment of persons in custody in Garda stations is governed by the Criminal Justice Act 1984 (Treatment of Persons in Custody in Garda Síochána Stations) Regulations, 1987. The objective of the regulations is to ensure that members of the Garda Síochána act with due respect for the dignity and personal rights of persons in custody. The regulations include provision for the assignment of a member of the Garda Síochána in each Garda station to be responsible for ensuring that the treatment of persons in custody is in accordance with those regulations.
The responsibilities conferred by the regulations on members include provisions which are designed to ensure the welfare of persons in custody and to ensure that persons receive medical treatment from a doctor where necessary (Regulation 21).
236. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda recruits assigned to each Garda division since recruitment resumed in 2014, in tabular form; the reason the Galway division had the second lowest number of recruits assigned of all divisions in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41540/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra237. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí and the ranks of each in the Galway division, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41541/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra238. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the population centres served by each Garda division in the country, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41542/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra239. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in the Galway division in each of the past ten years, by rank, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41543/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 239, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends, demographics and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of Garda human resources.
This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.
This plan is progressing apace. This year, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians to support the wide ranging reform plan in train in An Garda Síochána. Funding has also been provided for the recruitment of 300 Garda Reserves.
I am informed by the Commissioner that the Garda strength of the Galway Division, on 31 August 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 573. There are also 31 Garda Reserves and 47 civilians attached to the Division. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
I am further informed by the Commissioner, since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, that close to 1,400 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, 15 of whom have been assigned to the Galway Division. I am also informed that another 200 trainee Garda are scheduled to attest this year which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increase to around the 13,500 mark by year end - an increase of 500 since the end of 2016.
This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Garda Division, including the Galway Division in the coming years.
In so far as the allocation of newly attested Gardaí is concerned, this is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I am assured by the Commissioner that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of resources. However, it is important to keep in mind that newly attested Gardaí have a further 16 months of practical and class-room based training to complete in order to receive their B.A. in Applied Policing. To ensure that they are properly supported and supervised and have opportunities to gain the breadth of policing experience required, the Commissioner's policy is to allocate them to specially designated training stations which have the required training and development structures and resources in place, including trained Garda tutors and access to a permanently appointed supervisory Sergeant who is thoroughly familiar with their responsibilities under the training programme.
The information requested by the Deputy regarding the population served by each Garda Division is not readily available in my Department as the recording of the population by area is a matter for the Central Statistics Office.
I am informed by the Commissioner that the allocation of probationer Gardaí since 2015 and the strength of the Galway Division by rank in each of the past ten years (as of 31 August 2017) are as set out in the following tables:
|
Current allocation of Probationer Gardaí who attested in the period 2014-2017 |
||||
|
DIVISION |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
TOTAL |
|
D.M.R. EAST |
9 |
19 |
29 |
57 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH |
19 |
34 |
52 |
105 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL |
22 |
44 |
55 |
121 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH |
19 |
33 |
53 |
105 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL |
21 |
42 |
61 |
124 |
|
D.M.R. WEST |
29 |
35 |
55 |
119 |
|
KILDARE |
14 |
19 |
39 |
72 |
|
LAOIS / OFFALY |
9 |
20 |
37 |
66 |
|
MEATH |
5 |
19 |
22 |
46 |
|
WESTMEATH |
5 |
5 |
17 |
27 |
|
WICKLOW |
7 |
- |
14 |
21 |
|
CAVAN / MONAGHAN |
10 |
8 |
15 |
33 |
|
DONEGAL |
10 |
5 |
9 |
24 |
|
LOUTH |
10 |
17 |
26 |
53 |
|
SLIGO / LEITRIM |
5 |
5 |
3 |
13 |
|
KILKENNY/CARLOW |
9 |
10 |
25 |
44 |
|
TIPPERARY |
5 |
14 |
16 |
35 |
|
WATERFORD |
14 |
10 |
25 |
49 |
|
WEXFORD |
14 |
10 |
26 |
50 |
|
CORK CITY |
7 |
5 |
20 |
32 |
|
CORK NORTH |
- |
5 |
10 |
15 |
|
CORK WEST |
5 |
- |
10 |
15 |
|
KERRY |
9 |
- |
12 |
21 |
|
LIMERICK |
9 |
17 |
13 |
39 |
|
CLARE |
10 |
5 |
5 |
20 |
|
GALWAY |
5 |
5 |
5 |
15 |
|
MAYO |
5 |
- |
10 |
15 |
|
ROSCOMMON / LONGFORD |
- |
5 |
5 |
10 |
|
TOTAL |
286 |
391 |
669 |
1346 |
|
An Garda Síochána by rank Galway Division 2008-2017 |
|||||||
|
GD |
SG |
IN |
SU |
CS |
AC |
Total |
|
|
2008 |
374 |
62 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
453 |
|
2009 |
502 |
77 |
11 |
8 |
1 |
1 |
600 |
|
2010 |
494 |
85 |
11 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
601 |
|
2011 |
493 |
81 |
10 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
595 |
|
2012 |
486 |
80 |
8 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
585 |
|
2013 |
481 |
74 |
10 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
574 |
|
2014 |
469 |
82 |
11 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
570 |
|
2015 |
465 |
78 |
10 |
6 |
1 |
560 |
|
|
2016 |
463 |
87 |
10 |
7 |
1 |
568 |
|
|
2017 |
471 |
84 |
10 |
7 |
1 |
573 |
|
*Up to 31 August 2017
240. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the safe passage campaign by an organisation (details supplied) for the introduction of a humanitarian admission programme to reunite families fleeing conflict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41566/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraBefore the migration crisis escalated, the former Minister for Justice and Equality, Mr. Alan Shatter, introduced a Syrian Humanitarian Admissions Programme, SHAP, which was subject to certain conditions, including economic dependency being met by the sponsor. This was superseded by the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, IRPP, which allows for Syrians and other eligible nationalities to benefit from resettlement and relocation schemes, and offers them protection status in Ireland in their own right including all the rights and privileges that that entails. This is a much-improved programme allowing vulnerable people to benefit from protection here.
Ireland committed to accept approximately 1,040 refugees by the end of 2017 under the resettlement strand of the Programme and this commitment is on track with 785 people already in the State and the remaining 270 people due in early 2018 from Lebanon. Furthermore, I announced on 15 September last that Ireland would pledge to accept 600 programme refugees in 2018. This commitment has been made as part of a new European Commission and UNHCR resettlement pledging exercise under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, for the period 9 December 2017 to 31 December 2018. Since the conclusion of this pledging exercise, the Commission issued a Resettlement Recommendation on 27 September, which calls for the resettlement of 50,000 refugees between December of this year and the end of October 2019. Member States, like Ireland, who have already made pledges are being encouraged to consider increasing their pledges for the new two-year timeframe of the scheme.
Under the Relocation Strand of the Programme, we will have admitted our full cohort from Greece (1,089) by early 2018. Relocation from Italy has not been possible within the two-year timeframe of the programme due to a refusal by Italy to allow law enforcement officers from other Member States to conduct security assessments of relocation candidates on its soil. Our efforts to resolve this issue are ongoing.
I fully intend to honour our commitment under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme. While the relocation strand has not yielded the expected numbers, together with my Department officials, I have been examining potential new pathways for people in need of protection following the conclusion of the EU programmes. One possibility is through family reunification, for which I intend to bring forward fresh proposals in the near future. Such a programme would concentrate efforts on reunification of immediate family members specifically caught up in conflict zones, and would be in addition to those eligible under the provisions of the International Protection Act 2015.
241. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of arrest warrants, bench warrants and penal warrants outstanding as of 1 September 2017 or the nearest available date in the Limerick Garda division by Garda district; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41572/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra249. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of family law bench warrants which remain unexecuted; the number issued annually; and the number which are executed. [41735/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 249 together.
I have requested the information sought by the Deputies from the Garda authorities and will respond to both directly once the report is to hand.
