Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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345. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some considerable doubt has been cast over the accuracy of statistical crime data prepared by An Garda Síochána for the Central Statistics Office; if she has read the Garda Inspectorate's recent report, which uncovered evidence of actual crimes being reclassified as non-crimes; her views on the significant problems that inaccurate crime data will have for effective policing and deployment of resources; the steps she will take to address this serious matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10496/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that I am familiar with the Garda Inspectorate Report's analysis of the issues she refers to and welcomed its examination of these matters on publication. As the Inspectorate report recognises, these issues have been reported in other police services and the Inspectorate's recommendations draw from measures introduced in those jurisdictions.

It is of course of great importance that police data is as accurate as can be and this is reflected in the steps taken by the Garda Commissioner to respond to the concerns identified in the Inspectorate report, including the establishment of a new Data Quality Team in the Garda Information Services Centre (GISC), as well as measures to strengthen PULSE governance arrangements. These measures form part of broader steps to take forward the Inspectorate’s recommendations, including plans to upgrade and improve the technology for recording of crime and policing activity.

In so far as the compilation and publication of crime statistics is concerned, this is a matter in the first instance for the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency. The CSO is currently carrying out a detailed analysis of certain issues raised by the Inspectorate in relation to the recording, classification and reclassification of crime, to see whether and to what extent they may have implications for the crime statistics which that Office produces.I understand that substantial work has been carried out on this project since the report's publication, and that this work is ongoing.

In addition, the CSO has also agreed to chair an expert panel to examine the Inspectorate's recommendations on crime statistics.The expert panel will review the crime counting and detection rules, as recommended by the Inspectorate, with a view to introducing new national standards. I am advised that the expert panel will commence its work in the coming weeks.