Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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434. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 344 of 3 of March 2015, the number of persons who were in the witness security programme in 2013 and 2014, and who are in the programme in 2015 to date; and the breakdown of expenditure of the allocated €1.198 million for this programme. [11167/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I refer to Question No. 346 of 3 March 2015. The information in regard to funding in my reply to that question is unchanged.

The Garda Síochána operates a Witness Security Programme to respond to attempts by criminal and other groups to prevent the normal functioning of the criminal justice system, including threats of violence and systematic intimidation of witnesses. By virtue of the highly confidential nature of the Programme and the need to maintain the protection of persons in that Programme, it is not the policy nor would it be appropriate to detail the specifics of its operation.

I can say, however, that it is being operated in a significant number of cases and it has proven its worth over the years in helping to secure the conviction of very serious organised crime leaders.