Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

It is also the case that many individuals would be subject to multiple warrants, which the Deputy will know from the list.

I do not know the precise figure for the number of outstanding warrants that would be acceptable at any stage. Obviously, if there are 14,000 gardaí, there will be an increasing number of warrants. The last Garda Commissioner is on record as stating that steps need to be taken to reduce the number of outstanding warrants as much as is possible. I accept the Deputy's point that there must be a tidying up of the system. The Garda Commissioner stated that each regional commissioner had been directed to give priority to the issue and to examine the procedures in their areas for executing warrants. The Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, has taken a number of steps to deal with this issue. A genuine difficulty at the moment is that cases concerning the non-payment of fines clog up the system because gardaí must seek warrants to enforce their payment. There is an initial warrant therefore and a further warrant is required to enforce the payment. A pilot project is under way whereby outstanding fines have been pursued by an outside debt collection agency, rather than requiring gardaí to obtain warrants. That pilot project is proving to be very successful. The Department, in consultation with the Garda Síochána and the Courts Service, will take that matter forward. I am not sure in how many districts that pilot scheme is operating but if it is clearing up the system it should be extended.

There is a fines Bill before the House which, among other things, provides for the payment of fines by instalment. Anything which avoids the necessity of issuing a warrant should help to reduce pressure on the warrant system. The Minister is examining other legislative measures which might help to improve the efficiency of the fines collection system, particularly by reducing the amount of Garda time involved in the warrant process. I am told that is a considerable amount of time. Many gardaí are now on specialised duties such as the one we have just discussed. I will raise the question elsewhere but I still find it difficult to imagine that there are 36,000 outstanding bench warrants.

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