Written Answers Nos. 773-793
773. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if international students will be granted entry here if the language school or college at which they have been accepted is delivering classes through a mix of blended learning or exclusively online; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18335/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question of entry for any individual, visa or non-visa required, is determined by the Immigration Officer at the port of entry at the time the individual seeks entry into the State. All relevant factors are taken into account with the principal ones being the purpose of the visit, the duration of stay, the ability of the individual to support themselves during their stay, and proof that the person will exit the country on or before the expiry of any permission given.
Each application for entry to the State is assessed on its own merits. Therefore, it is advisable for the individual to carry any relevant documentation for presentation to the Immigration Officer on arrival. It may be noted that the powers granted to an Immigration Officer are not unfettered. The Immigration Act 2004 provides for the grounds on which an individual may be granted or refused leave to land at a port of entry.
Further information on visa requirements and documentation recommended for entry into the State is available on our website at : http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/check-irish-visa
The Government is advising against non-essential travel until further notice and anyone entering the State is required to self-isolate for 14 days unless arriving from one of the countries on the Covid-19 Green List published by the Department of the Taoiseach. All passengers are required to complete a mandatory Public Health Passenger Locator Form on arrival.
The longstanding policy in this area is that attending an online course is not a valid reason to be present in the State. The only exception to this was during the Covid-19 restrictions when language schools physically closed and such schools were allowed to conduct online courses for continuing students only. My Department wrote to such English language schools on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) in this regard.
To facilitate Higher Education Students whose courses may not start as usual, the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of my Department intends that all visas which issue to students for the September intake will be valid until a latest date of 31 January 2021, with a maximum validity of 6 months rather than the usual 3 month period. For example:
1. Visa issued 31/07/2020 – valid to 31/01/2021 (6 months)
2. Visa issued 15/09/2020 – valid to 31/01/2021 (4.5 months)
3. Visa issued 15/11/2020 – valid to 31/01/2021 – (3 months)
Non-EEA students arriving in the State between now and the end of 2020, must possess documentary evidence from their college/institution to show they are required to be physically present in the State for face to face classes or practical training.
The Immigration Service of my Department is currently working with the English Language Sector and the Department of Higher Education, through their English Language Education working group which is considering the planning and range of measures which would need to be taken by the language schools to ensure safe management of the arrival of any prospective English Language students, having regard to the priority of protecting public health in the current circumstances, as well as considering criteria which could apply in order to allow reopening of ELE schools using a blended learning model for students in the State.
774. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the situation of persons (details supplied) residing and working here as European Economic Area, EEA, family members in cases in which qualifying EEA family member is a UK citizen and that after 31 December 2020 and they are no longer the spouse of an EEA family member and will be unable to reside and work here; her views on such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18353/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe United Kingdom left the European Union at midnight (CET) on 31 January 2020, on the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement. This Agreement includes a transition period, which is due to last until at least 31 December 2020. During the transition period, EU rules and regulations will continue to apply to the United Kingdom and its citizens who will still benefit from the Freedom of Movement Directive and the domestic Free Movement Regulations, i.e. the right of British EU citizens to live and work in the European Union.
This means that, until the transition period ends, non-EEA family members of a British EU citizen who are residing in this State also remain subject to the provisions of the Free Movement Directive and domestic Regulations and the exercise of EU Treaty rights and entitlements. British citizens themselves are exempt from the requirements of Irish immigration law and are not subject to any controls in terms of entry, residence or employment in the State. This is reflected separately in the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements between Ireland and the United Kingdom and the associated reciprocal rights and privileges enjoyed by Irish and British citizens in each other’s State.
When the transition period ends, the Free Movement Directive will continue to apply, in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement, to non-EEA family members of British citizens who have exercised their right to reside in Ireland in accordance with Union law before the end of that period and who continue to reside here thereafter in compliance with the Directive.
In relation to the person concerned, their non-EEA family member currently has permission to reside in the State until September 2022 as a qualifying family member of a British citizen exercising his EU Treaty rights. During the latter part of 2019, officials in my Department wrote to many beneficiaries, including the non-EEA family member concerned, at their last furnished address seeking an update on their circumstances in the context of Brexit preparations. However, no response appears to have been received from the person concerned, possibly because they had not notified the EU Treaty Rights Division of my Department of a change of address.
Details of further arrangements and requirements for non-EEA family members of British citizens will be announced closer to the end of the transition period. In accordance with existing requirements, beneficiaries of the Directive are advised to update the relevant areas of my Department if there is any change in their circumstances including a change in their relationship status with their relevant British citizen family member, their civil status and/or a change of address. They can contact my Department by email at eutreatyrights@justice.ie.
775. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No: 967 of 14 July 2020, her plans to increase the penalties and sanctions for those convicted of dog theft; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18375/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra802. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will create a legal distinction between the theft of an animal and the theft of other property including a more serious penalty for such an offence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18737/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra811. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the additional measures and sentences she plans to introduce the counteract the growing trend of stolen animals; the current fines and prison sentences aligned to the theft of family animals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18918/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 775, 802 and 811 together.
I can inform the Deputy that there is already comprehensive legislation in place to address crimes of theft and fraud. The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 provides for offences of theft, the handling of stolen property and the possession of stolen property. The offence of theft provided for by this legislation would, based on the broad nature of the offence, include the theft of dogs. A maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment is provided for in the case of offences of theft and handling of stolen property; while a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment is provided for the offence of possession of stolen property.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síóchána closely monitors emerging crime trends, and that the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit coordinates a number of crime prevention initiatives aimed at reducing crime. These initiatives include Crime Prevention Information Campaigns through traditional and social media. Recently information has been disseminated to the Crime Prevention Officers Network countrywide specifically dealing with the topic of dog thefts. The National Crime Prevention Units advice on pet safety concur with the advice from animal welfare groups and animal insurance companies about keeping animals safe.
Ongoing patrols throughout the country act as a deterrent to travelling criminals and thereby prevent criminal activity. Improved awareness of dog thefts among the community will ensure more vigilance within neighbourhood watch and community alert areas.
As part of ongoing efforts to keeping communities and property safe, An Garda Síochána has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.88 billion for 2020, as well as capital funding of over €116 million this year. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff and as a result, An Garda Síochána is a growing organisation. Garda numbers are now at their highest ever, with approximately 14,700 members and almost 3,000 Garda staff nationwide.
776. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position in relation to the reopening of registration offices outside Dublin and in particular in Ennis, County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18399/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAfter being closed for four months due to COVID-19 restrictions, Registration Offices outside of Dublin, which are operated by An Garda Síochána, are reopening on a phased basis, in line with the Government Roadmap. Email addresses for each Registration Office are provided for queries and the arranging of appointments. Further information on the contact details and proposed dates of reopening for all Registration Offices outside of Dublin is available on the website of An Garda Síochána at:
https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/reopening-of-registration-offices.html .
The Ennis Registration Office is one of the offices where arrangements for safe reopening are still underway. Updates will be posted in due course. Enquiries can be emailed to the Ennis Office at Ennis.Immigration@garda.ie.
More generally, my Department is providing regular updates on all immigration related matters on the Immigration Service website: http://www.inis.gov.ie/. A detailed Frequently Asked Questions document on the COVID-19 impact on immigration and international protection can also be found on the website. This document is also regularly updated.
777. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons facilitated at the special Covid-19 self-isolation centre at a hotel (details supplied) from 1 April 2020 and 1 July 2020; the number of nights per person; the cost of the accommodation from 1 April 2020 and 1 July 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18412/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe premises referred to by the Deputy has been contracted by my Department on a rolling basis since April 2020, to support the Department’s COVID-19 response and specifically to provide short-term accommodation to persons in the Direct Provision system who are required by the health authorities to isolate after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. For this reason, details of the number of people accommodated in that location and the duration of their stay are not disclosed. To do so would indirectly lead to a confirmation of positive cases, which is solely a matter for the HSE.
For reasons of commercial sensitivity, my Department does not release contractual information until a two year period has elapsed.
778. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status for review of a join family application by a person (details supplied) which was received by INIS in January 2020. [18418/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe join spouse visa application referred to by the Deputy was submitted to the Visa Office in Athens, Greece on 18 December 2019. The application was subsequently received by the Immigration Service in Dublin on 28 January 2020, for further processing, in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification.
The Policy Document contains a stated business target that visa applications to join non-EEA national family members should be dealt with within six months of receipt of application. However, it should be noted that this is a business target and does not constitute a legal obligation. The business target reflects the detailed and often complex assessment that is required to be carried out in relation to applications for family reunification.
It is not possible to give a definitive date as to when these applications will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for the Immigration Service to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources available.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of my Department conducts its business. In line with advice issued by Government, HSE and the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), ISD implemented a suite of measures to help in reducing the spread of the virus. These measures included the closure of our offices in Burgh Quay and the implementation of remote working for Immigration Services staff in order to comply with social and physical distancing measures. Unfortunately, these measures have led to a reduction in processing capacity across all areas of ISD. While delays are expected, including in the processing of family re-unification visa applications, ISD is endeavouring to keep operating to the best of its ability.
Further updates will be provided on the Immigration Service website when available, and I would encourage the Deputy to view the updates and the detailed Frequently Asked Questions document on the Immigration Service website at:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/COVID-19-updates-and-announcements
In addition, applicants can e-mail queries directly to visamail@justice.ie and may also keep up to date on Visa applications at: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/inis/pages/visa%20decisions .
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail 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 e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
779. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of arrests for supplying nitrous oxide for human consumption in each year from 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18431/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra796. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of nitrous oxide seized by An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18609/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra797. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which gardaí distinguish between legal uses of nitrous oxide and illegal use under the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 or other relevant legislation or statutory instrument; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18611/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 779, 796 and 797 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Health leads on Government policy in this area and is guided by the national drugs strategy "Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025".
This represents a whole-of-Government response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. Implementation of the Strategy is led by my colleagues the Minister for Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy, although the Strategy of course includes actions for all stakeholders, including my Department and An Garda Síochána.
I am aware of the issues raised by the Deputy in connection with nitrous oxide, as well as the potential negative health implications of the unintended and unrestricted uses of this product. The health issues related to nitrous oxide are proper to the Department of Health, the HSE and the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and I understand that the HPRA has previously issued advisories on the misuse of this substance. I further understand that the HSE has recently added information with regard to nitrous oxide to the website drugs.ie.
The Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau has communicated with the relevant State bodies with regard to its experience relating to the possession and use by particular persons of nitrous oxide. However, at present, nitrous oxide is not a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Acts.
The purpose of the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 includes the prevention of the misuse of dangerous or otherwise harmful psychoactive substances and the provision of offences relating to the sale, importation, exportation or advertisement of those substances. For example, the Act provides that a person who sells, or who imports or exports, a psychoactive substance knowing or being reckless as to whether that substance is being acquired or supplied for human consumption shall be guilty of an offence.
With regard to children, section 74 of the Child Care Act 1991 also provides for the offence of sale etc. of solvents. It provides that it shall be an offence for a person to sell, offer or make available a substance to a person under the age of eighteen years or to a person acting on behalf of that person if he knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the substance is, or its fumes are, likely to be inhaled by the person under the age of eighteen years for the purpose of causing intoxication. The section criminalises the sale and supply of solvents rather than the inhalation or consumption of substances by persons under the age of 18.
I am advised by An Garda Síochána that providing any provisional/operational figures in respect of arrests and seizures of nitrous oxide based on the data collected on PULSE is difficult due to the manner in which the information is recorded, and would require an inordinate amount of time and resources to compile.
780. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the additional cost to the Departmental baseline funding to commence and sustain a five-year Garda recruitment drive commencing in 2021 and concluding in 2025 with an intake of 800 Garda recruits per annum and their subsequent retention, that is, the amount by which the baseline must be increased in 2025 in comparison to 2020; and the additional baseline increases required in each of the years 2021 to 2025. [18440/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government recognises the importance of ensuring more visible community policing, in line with the report of the Commission for the Future of Policing in Ireland. To this end, the Government is committed to supporting the continuation of the training of new Garda recruits annually. This commitment to prioritising the implementation of the report, including ongoing Garda recruitment, will foster the development of safer, more resilient communities.
The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is the accounting officer of An Garda Síochána and is statutorily responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including human resource matters. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that, as at 30 June 2020, there are approximately 14,700 Garda members, the highest number in the history of the organisation. This figure includes the Garda trainees from two separate intake classes who attested earlier than scheduled on 20 March 2020, which was an operational decision taken by the Garda Commissioner in order to augment An Garda Síochána's response to Covid-19. As the Deputy will appreciate, the number of Garda members changes in line with recruitment and retirements.
The table below, provided by the Garda authorities, sets out the payroll costs relating to the recruitment of 800 Gardaí each year from 2021 to 2025 and their subsequent retention.
|
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
2021 intake (800 recruits) |
€18,723,058 |
€37,695,515 |
€40,095,318 |
€43,045,942 |
€45,220,730 |
|
2022 Intake (800 recruits) |
|
€18,723,058 |
€37,695,515 |
€40,095,318 |
€43,045,942 |
|
2023 Intake (800 recruits) |
|
|
€18,723,058 |
€37,695,515 |
€40,095,318 |
|
2024 Intake (800 recruits) |
|
|
|
€18,723,058 |
€37,695,515 |
|
2025 Intake (800 recruits) |
|
|
|
|
€18,723,058 |
|
Total Estimated Additional Costs |
€18,723,058 |
€56,418,573 |
€96,513,891 |
€139,559,832 |
€184,780,563 |
I should point out that the Garda authorities note that this estimated figure relates to the costs of newly attested Gardaí only. It may be noted, in addition, that payroll costs for new Garda recruits include a basic allowance of €184 per week. After 32 weeks of training, Garda recruits are attested and move on to the first point of the Garda pay scale (€31,600 p.a. is first point of pay scale that is expected to be in operation on completion of training). The overall estimate provided includes Employer's PRSI and an estimation of allowances which Garda members may qualify for depending on their assignments.
It is important to note that the annual cost of these additional recruits would continue to increase as the members move up the Garda pay scale each year. This estimated Garda costing does not take into account any pay rises occurring after 1 January 2021.
It should also be noted that these estimated figures do not take into account the considerable additional costs that would be incurred in respect of accommodation, ICT, overtime and so on, if the Garda member and staff strengths were raised to the levels queried by the Deputy.
781. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of recruiting and employing an additional 1,000 civilian staff for An Garda Síochána. [18441/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is the accounting officer of An Garda Síochána and is statutorily responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána including human resource matters. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters. I am assured however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to their optimum use.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that as of 30 June 2020, there are over 3,000 Garda staff undertaking administrative, professional, technical and industrial support duties in the organisation. The Government's current objective is to increase that level to 4,000 in 2021.
I am informed that such staff positions range from clerical support and financial management functions to senior management, including specialised roles in HR, IT and telecommunications, as well as finance and procurement, internal audit, communications, research and analysis, accommodation, scene-of-crime support and legal and medical services. Large numbers of Garda staff also work in key operational areas including the Central Vetting Bureau, the Information Service Centre, the Fixed Charge Processing Office and the Command and Control Centre.
Bearing in mind this broad range of duties, I am advised by the Garda authorities that the estimated cost of employing an additional 1,000 Garda staff would be approximately €45m in a full year, on the basis of an average estimated cost per civilian employee of approximately €45,000, including employer costs such as PRSI.
It should be noted that these estimated figures do not take into account the considerable additional costs that would be incurred in respect of accommodation, ICT, overtime and so on.
782. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of increasing Prison Service funding by 10%. [18442/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe budget approved for Vote 21 (Prisons) for the year ending 31 December 2020 is €345,674,000 in current expenditure including salaries, wages and allowances, excluding capital funding (€46,689,000). The current expenditure includes a once-off amount of €9 million for an additional payday falling due in 2020.
On the basis of total current expenditure, a funding increase of 10% would represent an amount of € 34,567,740.
The financial provision for the Irish Prison Service for 2021 will be considered in the usual way as part of the Estimates process.
783. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of providing video links to each prison to assist the Courts Service. [18443/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that it operates a significant video-link estate, with video link solutions currently installed and operating in 60 courtrooms nationwide, with a further 5 courtrooms to have video link solutions installed and provisioned in August 2020.
The current base installation cost of a courtroom video link solution is in the region €48,000 (inc. VAT). The cost per courtroom video link installation is impacted by site variances including size, layout, and the extent of remedial wiring required.
All Courts Service video link enabled courtrooms are currently configured to seamlessly connect with all video link enabled prisons. From April 2020 to date; the Courts Service, working in coordination with the Irish Prison Service, have facilitated in excess of 5000 video appearances in courtrooms.
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, video-link usage has seen significant growth and the Courts Service expect this to grow further in the coming years.
784. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of increasing the funding of the Criminal Assets Bureau by 10%. [18444/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is an independent multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996 with staff drawn from An Garda Síochána, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department of Justice and Equality. The Bureau’s function is to target a person's assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised crime in this jurisdiction and disrupting the activities of criminal gangs by depriving them of ill-gotten assets.
The Bureau is widely regarded as a best practice model in the context of combating organised crime. Its structure and powers have been modelled by other jurisdictions. It works closely with law enforcement bodies at national and international levels and continues to relentlessly pursue the illicit proceeds of organised crime activity. The actions of the Bureau send a strong message to criminals and to local communities that profiting from crime will not be tolerated.
Reflecting the Government's commitment to ensure that the Bureau is adequately resourced, the CAB’s staffing and budgetary allocation has increased significantly in recent years. Since 2016, the Bureau's staffing resources have increased from 71 to its current level of 93. Similarly, the Bureau's budgetary allocation has gone up by 13% from €8.042 million in 2016 to €9.090m in 2020.
Accordingly based on the 2020 budget for the Criminal Assets Bureau, a 10% increase would equal approximately €0.90 million which would bring the total budget to approximately €9.9 million.
785. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of refurbishing Tralee courthouse. [18447/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that it is in the process of assessing site options in Tralee with a view to acquiring a site as soon as possible. Design work has not yet commenced, so there is no information on costings at this time.
786. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of the establishment of ten new Garda youth diversion programmes. [18448/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the Garda Youth Diversion Programme is supported by a network of Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs). The projects are community-based, multi-agency crime prevention initiatives which seek to divert young people who have become involved in crime or anti-social behaviour and to support wider preventative work within the community and with families at risk.
There are currently 105 Garda Youth Diversion Projects in place throughout the State supporting up to 4,000 young people. Funding of approximately €18 million is being provided by my Department in 2020. This funding supports approximately 265 FTE youth justice workers, family support and early intervention posts, though it should be noted that this number can vary throughout the year for a variety of reasons, including leave, the inclusion of part time workers in the figure and project expansion.
I understand that considerable progress has been made in the last two years to extend the Garda Youth Diversion Project network to ensure that the service is available throughout the State. This has been achieved by extending the catchment areas of existing project and by allocating additional staff. There are a very small number of areas where this approach would not be suitable and I understand these are instead being considered for the establishment of new projects. I am informed that the number of areas in the State in which the evidence warrants the establishment of a new project, rather than the strengthening or extension of a catchment areas, is considerably less than 10.
Catchment areas for projects are determined in consultation with local community groups, members of An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders on a case-by-case basis. As the GYDPs have evolved organically since their inception, catchment areas can vary depending on the project’s background and local needs.
It may also be noted that, in recent years, the GYDP model has been developed and extended, with a renewed emphasis on family support and early intervention/preventative work, as well as on working with harder-to-engage young people, including those not suitable for the Garda Diversion Programme. Where any new projects are being established, the minimum core of the project will now include 2 youth justice workers, a family support worker, an early intervention support worker and an outreach worker to engage with harder-to-reach young people.
The estimated cost in a full year for a new project with all the additional elements under this draft revised model will depend on local circumstances. For comparison, funding of existing projects is some €125,000 on average.
As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has published a draft of a new Youth Justice Strategy in tandem with an online consultation which was completed recently. It is my intention that the draft Strategy will be further refined, informed by the outcome of the public consultation and the views of key stakeholders, with a view to presenting the finalised version to Government by the end of the year.
787. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of the multiannual sexual violence prevalence study by the Central Statistics Office. [18451/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016–2021 and in accordance with the Istanbul Convention, my Department and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in 2019 signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the undertaking of a nationally representative survey on the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland.
The CSO have begun the work on the large scale survey, called the Sexual Violence Survey. It will look in detail at the experience of sexual violence and abuse for both women and men in Ireland, with repeat surveys every decade.
This survey will be large-scale, complex and extremely sensitive. A completed sample of 5,000 adults, and a wide range of intimate questions on abuse in adult life and in childhood are envisaged. This will be a multi-annual project with timescales to be worked out by the CSO along with preparatory work on the survey.
As part of its decision to proceed with the project, the previous Government agreed in principal to the provision of necessary resources in succeeding years in annual Budget allocations. In terms of funding to date, my Department provided €150,000 for preparatory work in the 2019 budget allocation; and is funding work on the project in 2020 to the tune of €682,000.
788. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of a 10% increase in the Courts Service capital building and refurbishment programme. [18452/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the quantum of the regular Capital Funding for Estates is currently €4.88m per annum. A 10% increase would be an additional €0.488m per annum.
789. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to release additional funding for the issuing of mobile fingerprint devices to frontline gardaí. [18454/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána and for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of equipment among the various Garda divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in that matter. I understand however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure their optimum use.
The resources provided by the Government to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels. A record €1.88 billion has been allocated to the Garda Síochána Vote for 2020, in addition to over €116 million in capital investment this year. However, I am informed that An Garda Síochána has no immediate plans to issue mobile fingerprint scanning devices to operational Gardaí.
However, this option is being explored in the context of, and in conjunction with, the roll out of mobility devices to frontline Garda members.
790. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in County Kildare that have taken basic or refresher public order training in each of the past three years; and the duration of each course. [18455/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána including training and development of the Garda organisation. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
In respect of training courses available from the Garda College, they are provided on an operational needs basis and having consideration for the operational needs of the force.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Gardaí within the Kildare division that successfully completed public order training in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020 is shown on the following table.
|
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Basic (6 day course) |
Nil |
Nil |
31 |
|
Refresher (3 day course) |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
A refresher Public Order Course was scheduled to take place in early 2020. However due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of public health measures, this course has been put on hold. With the phased reopening of the country, it is expected that training courses will resume in the coming months.
