Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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600. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of animals reported stolen or missing to An Garda Síochána in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28261/20]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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601. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prosecutions and convictions secured in County Laois regarding the theft of animals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28262/20]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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602. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of animals reported stolen or missing to An Garda Síochána nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28263/20]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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603. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prosecutions and convictions secured regarding the theft of animals nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28264/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 to 603, inclusive, together.

I am very conscious of the impact that crimes like animal theft have on the quality of life for residents in local communities. Gardaí are working hard to tackle this, and all forms of criminality in our communities, to make them safer for all members of society.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána closely monitors emerging crime trends, and that the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit coordinates a number of crime prevention initiatives aimed at reducing crime. These initiatives include Crime Prevention Information Campaigns through traditional and social media.

The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 provides for offences of theft, the handling of stolen property and the possession of stolen property. The offence of theft provided for by this legislation would, based on the broad nature of the offence, include the theft of animals. A maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment is provided for in the case of offences of theft and handling of stolen property; while a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment is provided for the offence of possession of stolen property.

Officers of Customs and Excise (a division of the Revenue Commissioners), as well as members of An Garda Síochána, have responsibility for searching vehicles at our ports of entry to deter ongoing criminal activity, including that of attempts to smuggle animals into and out of the State. Animals found without the necessary paperwork under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 are seized and handed into the care of the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the relevant Local Authority as appropriate under Section 15 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of animals reported stolen or missing to An Garda Síochána in the Portlaoise Garda District, which is part of the Laois/ Offaly Division, is shown in the table below. The Portlaoise Garda District is made up of the sub-districts (stations): Abbeyleix, Arles, Ballylinan, Borris-In-Ossory, Clonaslee, Durrow, Mountmellick, Mountrath, Portarlington, Portlaoise, Rathdowney and Stradbally (Co Laois)

The figures shown are approximate being based on descriptions given for the PULSE object.

* Up to and including 29-Sep-2020.

** Figure is less than 10.

Figures less than 10 are not reported to ensure there are no issues from a data protection perspective.

I am further informed by An Garda Síochána that the number of animals reported stolen or missing to An Garda Síochána nationally are in the table below. Again, the figures shown are approximate being based on descriptions given for the PULSE object.

* Up to and including 29-Sep-2020.

I have consulted with the Courts Service to determine the number of prosecutions and convictions secured regarding the theft of animals both in County Laois and nationally, and I am informed that the ability to pull together data in response to the Deputy's question is dependent upon being able to isolate animal theft in their records over any other type of theft. For other offences, this is possible because the offence type has a specific code on An Garda Síochána's PULSE system, which the Courts Service use for populating their own records.

I understand that there is no specific code on PULSE for theft of animals. The same code is used for all types of theft and it would require the checking of individual records within the Courts Service to separate out theft of animals from other types of theft. Given the numbers of offences of theft every year, this is too onerous a task to narrow down over the period the Deputy has requested.