Written Answers Nos. 686-699
686. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if a new recruitment campaign for persons to apply to join An Garda Síochána will be launched later in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32343/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), for the management of An Garda Síochána as well as the allocation and distribution of resources. This includes responsibility for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no responsibility in these matters.
The Deputy may be aware that there was a very strong interest in the recent Garda recruitment campaign, with over 11,000 applications received. This will provide a strong pipeline of candidates to enter the Garda College over the coming period. I am advised by the Garda authorities that it is not envisaged that there will be another Garda Trainee Recruitment Campaign in 2022.
687. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí who successful completed advanced motorcycle course in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32344/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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 training matters. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that a total of 7 Gardaí completed the advanced motorcycle course in 2021 and that to date in 2022 no Gardaí have completed the course.
688. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 384 of 4 May 2022, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities to provide a response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32345/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraParliamentary Question No. 384 of 04 May 2022 refers to:
‘the number of external experts consultants on retainer or engaged by the Garda national cybercrime unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau; the number of cases that units secured a conviction in 2021 and to date in 2022’
As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. As Minister I have no direct role in the internal administration of Garda HR matters.
I am advised that there are currently no expert consultants employed by An Garda Síochána in the area of cybercrime. I am further advised that in 2021, GNCCB closed a total of four hundred and thirty one digital forensic cases in collaboration with investigators in various other sections and divisions. GNCCB also secured convictions in relation to three complex cyber-dependent investigations. In 2022 to date, GNCCB have closed one hundred and sixty one cases in support of investigations being conducted nationally and a number of other cyber dependent investigations are ongoing.
In relation to the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), the Deputy will be aware that CAB is a statutory independent multi-agency body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996. As Minister, I have no direct role in the Bureau’s operations.
I am advised that there was one expert consultant engaged for the provision of expert evidence in a legal case in 2021. This was on a stand-alone basis and the consultant was not on a retainer.
CAB also engaged the services of one Quantity Surveyor in 2021 and the services of two Quantity Surveyors in 2022, to date, to provide expert services in CAB investigations. None of these Surveyors were engaged on a retainer.
As CAB’s statutory remit extends to civil asset recovery and not criminal investigations I am advised that the Bureau does not routinely secure convictions. Arising from the foregoing, any convictions secured by the Bureau are generally incidental to the primary aim of which is to deny and deprive persons of the benefit of assets which are derived from criminal conduct. I am advised that the Bureau has secured two such incidental convictions in the time period covered by this Parliamentary Question, both of which were for drugs offences.
689. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí by rank attached to the street crime unit in the J district as of 1 January 2021 and 13 June 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32346/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). This includes the deployment of An Garda Síochána throughout the State under Section 33 of the Act. As Minister, I play no role in these independent functions.
I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimal use. I understand that it is a matter for the Divisional Chief Superintendent to determine the distribution of duties among the personnel available to them, having regard to the profile of each area within the Division and its specific needs.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that a Street Crime Unit (SCU) was established on a pilot basis in the 'J' District in April 2022 and, as such, the Deputy will appreciate that there is no figure for members attached to the SCU available for 2021 as a result.
There are currently, as of 17 June 2022, four Garda members assigned to the SCU in the 'J' District.
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the 'J' District of the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) North is comprised of Raheny, Howth and Clontarf Garda Stations. The District Headquarters is located in Raheny.
Members attached to SCU patrol areas within the District covertly to detect crime and are tasked with, but not limited to, the following:
- Theft from MPVs
- Theft from Persons
- Unauthorised taking of vehicles
- Interfering with vehicles
- Robbery patrols
- Burglary patrols
- Anti-crime patrols at large events
690. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of new unmarked Garda vans which came into the fleet in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number of unmarked Garda vans withdrawn from the fleet during same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32347/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda vehicles. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the purchase and allocation of Garda vehicles is determined on the basis of identified operational demands and the availability of resources, and decisions regarding the purchase and allocation of Garda vehicles are reviewed on a continual basis.
Budget 2022 provides in excess of an unprecedented €2 billion to An Garda Síochána, of which I am informed that €12m has been allocated for investment in the Garda fleet, which will mean more high visibility policing in our towns and cities.
The table below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, shows the number of unmarked Garda vans allocated to and withdrawn from the Garda fleet in 2021 and to date in 2022.
|
Garda Vans |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Allocated |
37 |
15 |
|
Withdrawn |
4 |
5 |
691. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of road traffic collisions in each of the years 2019 to 2021 in each Garda district in County Mayo; the number which resulted in a fatality or serious injury; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32348/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, unfortunately this was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy again once the information is to hand.
|
Mayo Division |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
Total |
|
Ballina District |
217 |
178 |
225 |
620 |
|
Béal an Mhuirthead |
48 |
59 |
51 |
158 |
|
Castlebar District |
301 |
224 |
262 |
787 |
|
Claremorris District |
373 |
292 |
343 |
1008 |
|
Westport District |
190 |
120 |
156 |
466 |
|
Total |
1129 |
873 |
1037 |
3039 |
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
Total |
|
|
Mayo Division |
45 |
31 |
39 |
115 |
692. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice if she will report on any legislation in relation to the gaming industry's use of so-called loot boxes; and if not, if there are any plans to deal with this practice that is entrapping young people and luring them into the gambling world. [32355/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government gives a clear commitment to establish a gambling regulator focused on public safety and well-being, covering gambling online and in person, and the powers to regulate advertising, gambling websites and apps. Additionally, Justice Plan 2022 commits to continuing the work already commenced by my Department to establish a Gambling Regulatory Authority.
To give effect to this commitment, work is underway on the Gambling Regulation Bill, which was approved by Government for priority drafting and publication.
The Bill is based on the recommendations of both the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Future Licensing and Regulation of Gambling and the Final Report on the establishment of a modern regulatory environment and authority for all gambling activities licensed in Ireland. Copies of both reports can be found on my Department's website.
In respect of loot boxes and similar e-Commerce activities, the Report of the Inter-Departmental Working Group noted that the video gaming industry should play a greater role in ensuring that their intellectual property was not used outside the games for “gambling purposes” facilitated by third party websites and that the video gaming industry should treat this issue similarly to how they combatted counterfeiting previously.
In addition, Ireland supported the 2018 Declaration by the Gaming Regulators European Forum that video gaming products should be licensed and regulated appropriately, if they can be shown to fall into the category of gambling. In preparing the Declaration, member states were aware of reports that third party actors, not authorised by the video game developer or under their control, may seek to commercialise certain elements of video gaming in a manner akin to gambling. The issue is whether such micro-transactions constitute gambling or are a form of e-commerce.
With regard to protection of children and young people, the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established in 2003 to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games. I encourage parents to ensure that their children only engage in appropriate gaming and are not making purchases unknown to them.
Different approaches have been adopted to the issue of whether and how "loot boxes" might be defined and regulated in the context of gambling activities in Europe, with no definitive outcomes or consensus as to how to address them.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority, when established, will have responsibility to keep this issue and other trends related to gambling under review.
693. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the full breakdown of staff including gardaí and civilians within An Garda Síochána from 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [32361/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with the unprecedented allocation provided in Budget 2022 of over €2 billion.
As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.
I understand that it is a matter for the Divisional Chief Superintendent to determine the optimum distribution of duties among the personnel available to them, having regard to the profile of each area within the Division and its specific needs.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that at 31 May 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 14,347 Garda members nationwide. This represents an increase of over 2% since end December 2018 when there were 14,032 Garda members. These Garda members are supported by 3,140 Garda staff which represents an increase of over 29% since end December 2018.
For the Deputy's information the attached spreadsheet, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of Gardaí by Division, District and Station at end December 2018 to end December 2021, and at 31 January 2022 up to and including 31 May 2022.
Further detailed information in relation to Garda numbers, including that allocation of Garda staff, for the years 2010 up to 30 April 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, can be found on my Department’s website. This information is updated every month with the latest data provided by An Garda Síochána, and includes the number of Gardaí by station across the whole country.
The information can be found at the following link:
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/An_Garda_Siochana_facts_and_figures.
694. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the full breakdown of staff and ranking in each divisional protective services unit in tabular form. [32362/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Garda Commissioner that there are currently 328 staff assigned to DPSUs and this figure is broken down by division and rank in the table below.
|
DPSU 16/06/2022 |
Detective Inspector |
Inspector |
Detective Sergeant |
Sergeant |
Detective Garda |
Garda |
Grand Total |
|
CAVAN / MONAGHAN |
0 |
1 |
10 |
11 |
|||
|
CLARE |
1 |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|||
|
CORK CITY |
0 |
3 |
16 |
19 |
|||
|
CORK NORTH |
0 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
|||
|
CORK WEST |
1 |
1 |
6 |
8 |
|||
|
D.M.R. EAST |
0 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
|||
|
D.M.R. NORTH |
0 |
4 |
18 |
22 |
|||
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL |
0 |
4 |
18 |
22 |
|||
|
D.M.R. SOUTH |
0 |
4 |
14 |
18 |
|||
|
D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL |
0 |
2 |
10 |
12 |
|||
|
D.M.R. WEST |
1 |
3 |
13 |
17 |
|||
|
DONEGAL |
0 |
1 |
8 |
9 |
|||
|
GALWAY |
0 |
2 |
15 |
17 |
|||
|
KERRY |
1 |
2 |
9 |
12 |
|||
|
KILDARE |
0 |
2 |
10 |
12 |
|||
|
KILKENNY/CARLOW |
0 |
1 |
2 |
9 |
2 |
14 |
|
|
LAOIS / OFFALY |
0 |
2 |
9 |
11 |
|||
|
LIMERICK |
0 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
10 |
||
|
LOUTH |
0 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
|||
|
MAYO |
0 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
|||
|
MEATH |
0 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|||
|
ROSCOMMON / LONGFORD |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|||
|
SLIGO / LEITRIM |
0 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|||
|
TIPPERARY |
0 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
|||
|
WATERFORD |
0 |
2 |
11 |
1 |
14 |
||
|
WESTMEATH |
0 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|||
|
WEXFORD |
0 |
2 |
9 |
11 |
|||
|
WICKLOW |
0 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
|||
|
Grand Total |
4 |
1 |
54 |
265 |
4 |
328 |
695. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the breakdown of crime prevention officers within An Garda Síochána by county. [32363/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, unfortunately this was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy again once the information is to hand.
|
CRIME PREVENTION OFFICER |
DIVISION |
|
1 |
Cavan/Monaghan |
|
1 |
Clare |
|
1 |
Cork (City) |
|
1 |
Cork (West) |
|
1 |
Cork North |
|
0 |
DMR North |
|
0 |
DMR North Central |
|
0 |
DMR West |
|
1 |
Donegal |
|
1 |
Dublin (East) |
|
1 |
Dublin (South Central) |
|
1 |
Dublin (South) |
|
1 |
Galway |
|
1 |
Kerry |
|
1 |
Kildare |
|
1 |
Kilkenny/Carlow |
|
1 |
Laois/Offaly |
|
1 |
Limerick |
|
1 |
Louth |
|
1 |
Mayo |
|
0 |
Meath |
|
1 |
Roscommon/Longford |
|
1 |
Sligo/Leitrim |
|
1 |
Tipperary |
|
1 |
Waterford |
|
1 |
Westmeath |
|
1 |
Wexford |
|
1 |
Wicklow |
696. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí who have completed the competency based driving level 2 course by rank in each of the years since 2018 to date in 2022, in tabular form. [32364/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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 training. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
The tables below, furnished to me by the Garda authorities, show the number of Garda members by rank who have successfully completed Competency Based Driving Level 2 in the years in question.
|
Competency Based Driving 2 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 (to date) |
|
Garda |
359 |
376 |
107 |
38 |
43 |
|
Sergeant |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Competency Based Driving 2 excl. Van* |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 (to date) |
|
Garda |
71 |
27 |
0 |
4 |
56 |
|
Sergeant |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
*'CBD 2 Excl. van' refers to driver training in the standard Garda car only.
697. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the number of judges by each court level in tabular form. [32365/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with Articles 13.9 and 35.1 of the Constitution, judicial appointments are made by the President, acting on the advice of the Government. The number of Judges assigned to each jurisdiction, as set out in legislation, is provided in the table below.
|
Jurisdiction |
Description |
|
Supreme Court (10 posts) |
Chief Justice and 9 ordinary judges |
|
Court of Appeal (17 posts) |
President and 15 ordinary judges plus 1 additional judge* |
|
High Court (46 posts) |
President and 43 ordinary judges plus 2 additional judges** |
|
Circuit Court (39 posts) |
President and 37 ordinary judges plus 1 serving specialist judge*** |
|
District Court (64 posts) |
President plus 63 ordinary judges |
* Section 14 of the Law Reform Commission Act 1975, as amended by the Court of Appeal Act 2014, permits the number of Court of Appeal judges to be exceeded by one when a Court of Appeal judge is appointed as a member of the Law Reform Commission.
** The Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Courts (No. 2) Act 1997, permit the number of High Court judges to be exceeded by one in each instance that a High Court judge is appointed as Chair of GSOC or as a member of the Law Reform Commission.
***In the Circuit Court the appointment of a specialist judge is provided for under the Personal Insolvency Act 2012.
698. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the number of judges appointed by each court level in each of the years since 2018 to date in tabular form. [32366/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with Articles 13.9 and 35.1 of the Constitution, judicial appointments are made by the President, acting on the advice of the Government.
The Government endeavours to fill judicial vacancies at the earliest opportunity, and a number of such vacancies were filled recently.
The table below provides the number of judges appointed by each court level in each of the years since 2018 and to date in 2022.
|
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 (to date) |
|
Chief Justice |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Supreme Court |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
President of the Court of Appeal |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Court of Appeal |
5 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
President of the High Court |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
High Court |
7 |
7 |
2 |
8 |
3 |
|
President of the Circuit Court |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Circuit Court |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
President of the District Court |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
District Court |
4 |
5 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
699. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the staffing levels of the Probation Service by county in each of the years since 2018 to date in tabular form. [32367/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that personnel within the Probation Service are structured into seven operational regions, five geographical regions and two national regions. Outlined below are details of the operational regions and the counties which they cover.
1. Dublin North/North East: Dublin North including counties Meath and Louth
2. Dublin South/Wicklow: Dublin South including county Wicklow
3. South West: including counties Kerry, Cork, Limerick and Clare
4. Midlands/South East: including counties Offaly, Kildare, Laois, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford and Waterford
5. West, North West and Westmeath: including Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan, Westmeath, Longford, Leitrim, Roscommon and Galway;
6. Prisoners and Reintegration: covering probation work in all prisons and dedicated high risk/sex offender’s team.
7. Young Persons Probation (YPP): working with children and young people aged 12-18 years who are before the Courts or who are in Children detention schools.
The current number (FTE) of Probation Officers deployed regionally is outlined below:
|
Operational Region |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 – as at 31 May |
|
Dublin North and North East |
43.3 |
35.6 |
41.4 |
39.2 |
39.8 |
|
Dublin South and Wicklow |
35.8 |
38.2 |
35.9 |
35.5 |
33.6 |
|
Midlands and South East |
32.5 |
30.1 |
30.1 |
36.8 |
34.8 |
|
South West |
38 |
37.9 |
36.9 |
41.5 |
44.5 |
|
West, North West and Westmeath |
26 |
28.8 |
26 |
29 |
30 |
|
Young Persons Probation |
12.9 |
14 |
14 |
15.2 |
12.6 |
|
Prisoners and Reintegration |
25.1 |
22.3 |
20.3 |
24.3 |
22.3 |
|
Total No of Probation Officers |
213.6 |
206.9 |
204.6 |
221.5 |
217.6 |
|
Other Staff* |
171.4 |
177.8 |
182 |
176.9 |
182.2 |
*Other staff includes Senior Management, Regional Managers, Senior Probation Officers, Administrative/Business Support Staff, Community Service Supervisors, and Service Officers.
The Probation service is currently carrying a number of vacancies which it is in the process of filling.
