Emer Higgins
Ceist:658. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Justice the number of incidents of cryptocurrency fraud reported to An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022. [23256/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 10 May 2022
Ceisteanna (658)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I sought information from the Garda authorities in relation to incidents of cryptocurrency fraud. I am informed that while cryptocurrency may be a component of an economic crime incident, there is no structured PULSE crime incident type to capture all such incidents. Investment Fraud can often involve cryptocurrency. However, so too can many other economic crime incident types.
I am therefore advised by An Garda Síochána that to provide a breakdown of all offences as requested by the Deputy would require an inordinate expenditure of Garda time and resources, as the scope of the request is so large.