Results 2,201-2,220 of 7,179 for speaker:James Browne

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: I will have to see why those reports are not being published. My understanding is that they come through via An Garda Síochána, as opposed to the youth diversion projects themselves. The Department just-----

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: I will have to inquire about why that is the case. I do not have any information to hand.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: Absolutely. Earlier this year, the recruitment call was successful, with more than 11,000 expressions of interest. The first intake started yesterday, with 92 trainees. We expect to take in 200 every eight weeks, beginning in February 2023, to bring a total of 1,000 people into An Garda Síochána through the current recruitment process. The recruitment process has been successful...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: As the Deputy knows, the public raised a number of concerns last year about antisocial behaviour. There were significant successes relating to organised crime, including both drugs and criminals themselves. Much extra work was put into those types of programmes and into Operation Citizen, which tries to increase Garda visibility. We have seen challenges such as the incidents in Ballyfermot...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: In the last Garda recruitment process, we got more than 11,000 applications, which showed significant interest by the public in becoming members of An Garda Síochána. The initial application was significantly simplified and could be more described as an expression of interest rather than a complicated application. That was partly to expand interest so that people who would not...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: Obviously, retention is very important. The level of resignations has increased slightly but they are still quite low and I suspect they are quite low by international comparison. However, any increase is something we have to monitor. People resign from any organisation for all sorts of reasons. We work very hard to retain. Operations in terms of rostering are a matter for the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: Yes. When it goes wrong, it can go badly wrong. I would certainly encourage anyone to stay in An Garda Síochána. It is a life well lived.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: The roll-out of any type of equipment is a matter for the Commissioner. As the fleet is renewed year on year, the new cars often have more specialised equipment. The legislation on bodycams is working its way through. The general data protection regulation, GDPR, means it requires specialised legislation to set out clearly how and when they can be used because these gardaí will be...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: There have been challenges. CCTV was originally for An Garda Síochána to detect crime. The challenge was often for local authorities using them for environmental crimes that were being committed, how they were being monitored and whether they were using them within the terms of the scheme. That is probably a good example of the importance of ensuring we have robust legislation...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: As regards bike patrols, I have received the same direct feedback from members of An Garda Síochána in terms of the intensity of the course. I also received feedback, particularly when I was out in Cherry Orchard, from members of the community who praised the bike patrols due to the increased visibility of members of An Garda Síochána on such patrols, who are able to...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: On Garda recruitment, trainee members of An Garda Síochána start in Templemore and spend 34 weeks there, followed by a placement of 70 weeks at a Garda station. It is 104 weeks in total or, in effect, two years. It is known as probation. It can be extended by the Commissioner in particular circumstances if needed. One will see those members of the Garda on the streets, albeit as...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: It is 200. It was 92 yesterday for the first class intake of this recruitment process but it will be 200 for every intake thereafter.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: Exactly.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: They are attested after 34 weeks but then they do 70 weeks in-station probation, during which time they are out on the beat and so on.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: Obviously not every garda has or needs to have blue light training and other advanced Garda training. In-service training is carried out at Templemore. It is supported for An Garda Síochána. The Garda Commissioner certainly aims to have as much in-service training done as possible to upskill all members of An Garda Síochána in whatever area they may be specialising....

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: We will always have a significant number of probationer officers as these new trainees are rolled out from Templemore. The distribution of An Garda Síochána remains a matter for the Garda Commissioner based on operational security reasons. That remains a matter for the Commissioner. The Department of Justice and the Ministers have no role in that regard. That is the current position.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: The McManus review is being carried out to assess the number of additional judges we need in the District Court, Circuit Court, High Court and Court of Appeal. In addition, last week an amendment was tabled to the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill on freeing up Court of Appeal judges. As the legislation is written at present there must always be a panel of three judges no...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: They are and this has been acknowledged.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

James Browne: I can certainly say as a former member of the Leinster Bar and the south-eastern circuit that judges travelling outside of Dublin is an important part of our Courts Service. It links our population with what the courts do and they are not simply something up in Dublin. The vast majority of judges traditionally have welcomed the opportunity to travel. Obviously the arrangement of the courts...