Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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320. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of bench warrants outstanding in the Garda R district as of 30 November 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44205/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that, as of 3 December 2015, there are 1,590 Bench Warrants outstanding in the Coolock (R) Garda District. I am advised that as PULSE is a live database it is not possible to provide the number of outstanding warrants for a date in the past.

As the Deputy will appreciate, difficulties in relation to the execution of warrants are a long standing issue for many police forces around the world. In this regard, An Garda Síochána gives priority to the execution of warrants relating to serious crimes. A very welcome analysis of this issue was provided by the Garda Síochána Inspectorate in their report on Crime Investigation of November 2014. The Inspectorate Report acknowledges the difficulties often faced by Gardaí in pursuing the execution of warrants but it also points to deficiencies in the current systems, some of which are tied to the available technology for recording and monitoring information on warrants. In this regard the Government is providing a very important investment in new Garda technology, information systems and vehicles under the Capital Plan 2016-2021, amounting to €205m over the life of the Plan.

In addition, as part of the overall strategic transformation programme underway in An Garda Síochána, a Warrants Review Group has been working on means of better managing and enforcing warrants taking on board the Inspectorate’s analysis. A number of improvements have been put in place, including greater use of clerical support staff which helps to free up Gardaí to concentrate on the execution as opposed to the administration of warrants. I am advised that the warrants issue is a recurring agenda item at Garda Senior Management Meetings, as well as regional performance and accountability meetings, to ensure that the situation is continually monitored.