Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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172. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views on whether An Garda Síochána has sufficient resources and personnel in the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau to protect Irish citizens and companies online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43142/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources among the various Garda Divisions and Districts and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Commissioner that personnel assignments, together with the overall policing arrangements and operational strategies are continually monitored and reviewed.

I am informed by the Commissioner that, on foot of a review of the Computer Crime Investigation Unit under An Garda Síochána’s Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021, a dedicated Garda Cyber Crime Bureau was established in September 2016 to ensure that An Garda Síochána has the capacity and capabilities to deal with cyber crime and cyber security threats.

The Cyber Crime Bureau is under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner, special crime operations and is part of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau headed by a Detective Chief Superintendent. The bureau has responsibility for the forensic examination of all seized computer media, international liaison with regard to cyber matters and the investigation of cyber crime matters. Cases examined include all crime types and, in particular, banking and financial crime matters as well as the examination of equipment and media to assess images in the context of offences relating to child pornography and exploitation.

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner there are 33 Garda personnel assigned to the bureau, including one Detective Superintendent, one detective inspector, six detective sergeants, 21 detective gardaí, one higher executive officer, one executive officer and two clerical officers. I am further informed that 140 replacement and additional personnel have been assigned to the specialist units that form the special crime operations since 2017 and the bureau has benefitted from some of these additional resources. Undoubtedly, the ongoing recruitment process will continue to support all Garda activities and will enable the Commissioner to provide additional resources to the specialist units and across every Garda division as new Garda recruits and civilian staff continue to come on stream.

In terms of developments on a regional basis I am informed that the roll-out continues on a phased basis of triage units. The triage model provides a tiered response and capability for computer forensic services on a regional basis, utilising locally-based and trained first-responders and cyber triage specialists. The triage model also reduces demands on the central bureau, while remaining under the supervision of the detective superintendent, Cyber Crime Bureau. To date two regional triage units have been established in the southern and south-eastern regions at Ballincollig and New Ross garda stations. These triage units are the subject of review to inform and establish best practices and processes for the establishment of further such units in other regions.

The Deputy will be aware some €330 million, including €205 million under the capital plan, is also being invested in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021 to enable An Garda Síochána to deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in the fight against crime.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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173. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to ensure that sufficient resources are provided to An Garda Síochána to maintain a fully trained complement of 54 forensic collision investigators nationwide at all times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43143/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.

Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources. I do not politically interfere in policing matters nor direct the Commissioner where to deploy resources.

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that a forensic collision investigator, FCIs, attends the scene of every fatal road traffic collision and every collision where information indicates that there is a likelihood of a fatality resulting from such collision. I am further advised by the Commissioner that FCIs are responsible for carrying out examinations at scenes of road traffic collisions including recording and evaluating all available evidence. Forensic collisions investigators are strategically deployed within the Garda divisional roads policing units throughout the country.

I am also informed that that following an internal Garda competition for assignment to FCI duties 11 successful candidates have completed their initial training and are working alongside divisional roads policing units. It takes 18 months to be fully trained as a FCI. It is expected that there will be further assignments to FCI duties from this competition in early 2019.

I am pleased that I secured sufficient funding in the Budget to provide for the recruitment of another 800 new Garda recruits in 2018, which will ensure that the planned Garda strength of 15,000 by 2021 remains on course.

This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across the organisation including roads policing in the coming years.

This investment in personnel is complemented by substantial investment in resources across the board for An Garda Síochána. The Deputy will be aware of the significant resources that have been made available to An Garda Síochána under the Government's Capital Plan 2016 - 2021. In particular, some €205 million in additional funding for Garda ICT and €46 million for new Garda vehicles has been allocated over the lifetime of the plan. This investment will facilitate the provision of more effective policing services.