Written answers

Tuesday, 15 February 2022

Department of Justice and Equality

An Garda Síochána

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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602. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda cars and vans attached to Louth Garda division as of 1 February 2020 and 8 February 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8234/22]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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605. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda cars and vans attached to Carlow-Kilkenny Garda division as of 1 February 2020 and 8 February 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8238/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 605 together.

Budget 2022 has allocated €12m for investment in the Garda fleet, which will mean more high visibility policing in our towns and cities.

The Deputy will be aware that under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that at 31 January 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 3,218 vehicles assigned to the Garda fleet. This represents an increase of 14% since 31 January 2020, when there were 2,822 vehicles assigned to the fleet.

For the Deputy's information the tables below, which have been provided to me by the Garda authorities, set out the number of vehicles assigned to Kilkenny/Carlow Division and Louth Division at 31 January 2020 and 31 January 2022, the latest date for which figures are available.

KILKENNY/CARLOW Division Cars Vans Motorcycles 4 x 4 Others Total
31-Jan-22 69 16 1 2 1 89
31-Jan-20 61 19 1 2 1 84
LOUTH Division Cars Vans Motorcycles 4 x 4 Others Total
31-Jan-22 50 12 2 3 1 68
31-Jan-20 43 9 2 1 1 56
*The category 'others' refers to MPV, SUV, Minibus or Prisoner Conveyance Vehicles

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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603. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda car driving and motorcycle instructor courses that were held in either the Garda training college or Garda headquarters in 2021 and to-date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8235/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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604. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if all Garda district neighbourhood watch meetings in the Dublin metropolitan region have resumed in person or virtually; if not, when the remaining neighbourhood watch meetings will resume; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8237/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. I will ensure to write to the Deputy once that information is available to me.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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606. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has received the necessary information from the Garda Commissioner in order to answer Parliamentary Question No. 478 of 23 November 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8240/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 478 of 23 November 2021 where the Deputy sought:

‘The number of Garda cars and motorcycles attached to Donegal roads policing unit as of 31 December 2020 and 12 November 2021’.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the allocation of Garda vehicles. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am assured that An Garda Síochána keeps its fleet requirements under continual review and that the allocation of vehicles is made on the basis of identified operational demands and the availability of resources.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the tables below set out the number of cars and motorcycles attached to Donegal Roads Policing as at 31 December 2020 and as at 19 November 2021.

Donegal Road Policing Unit as at 31December 2020

Cars Motorcycles Total
Ballyshannon District 1 0 1
Buncrana District 1 2 3
Letterkenny District 2 2 4
Donegal Division 4 4 8

Donegal Road Policing Unit as at 19November 2021

Cars Motorcycles Total
Ballyshannon District 1 0 1
Buncrana District 2 2 4
Letterkenny District 2 2 4
Donegal Division 5 4 9

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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607. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has received the necessary information from the Garda Commissioner in order to answer Parliamentary Question No. 484 of 23 November 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8241/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Parliamentary Question No. 484 of 23 November 2021 refers to the number of Gardaí by rank attached to the Community Policing unit at Coolock Garda station in each of the past five years in tabular form.

As the Deputy is aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. Further, the allocation of Garda resources is made in light of identified operational demands, including deployment of personnel among the Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

The table below which has been provided to me by the Garda authorities sets out the number of Community Gardaí assigned to Coolock Garda station from 31 December 2017 to 31 December 2021.

Community Gardaí by rank attached to Coolock Garda Station

Year Garda Sergeant Total
December 2021 3 1 4
December 2020 0 0 0
December 2019 3 1 4
December 2018 6 1 7
December 2017 6 1 7

I am informed that in 2020, at the beginning of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision was made by the Commissioner to redeploy Community Policing and Juvenile Liaison Officer Garda members to front line policing duties. Although these members were redeployed to align their tours of duty with the regular units, they retained and continued to perform their community policing responsibilities, tasks and duties.

The Garda authorities have informed me that the three assigned Garda members were reassigned to the Community Policing Unit and to their pre pandemic Community Policing tours of duty in June 2021. As set out above, I have been further advised that there is currently one Sergeant attached to Community Policing in Coolock Garda Station.

In addition, a dedicated unit was established in Coolock Garda station to carry out Community Policing duties and functions in the Darndale and surrounding areas. This unit supplemented the Community Policing Unit and had four members attached to it. This unit was in existence in Coolock Garda station throughout the COVID pandemic.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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608. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who were successfully prosecuted for public order offences in the Garda R district within Dublin metropolitan region in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8242/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under Irish law criminal investigations can only be carried out by An Garda Síochána, who then submit a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The DPP, who operates independently of me and my Department, then decides whether or not someone should be prosecuted and for what crime.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below shows the number of charges and summons associated with Public Order incidents in the Garda R District (Coolock District) during 2021 and to date in 2022.

Proceedings Type 2021 2022*
Charge 552 77
Summons 115 16
Total 667 93

*Figures for 2022 are up to 13 February 2022 only.

All information provided was drawn from PULSE and is therefore operational and liable to change.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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609. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a new contract will be put out shortly for the provision of additional large sized Garda public order unit vans; the last time that new Garda public order unit vans came into the fleet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8243/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. In addition, the deployment of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles among the various Garda divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that Garda vehicles are purchased under contracts tendered by the Office of Government Procurement. The current contract came into effect in November 2020 and it is understood the Office for Government Procurement are currently progressing new tenders.

I am further advised that Public Order vans were most recently commissioned into the Garda fleet in 2019, when fifteen Peugeot Boxer vans were purchased to meet requirements.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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610. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda roads policing unit vehicles that came into the fleet in 2021 and to date in 2022; the number of Garda roads policing unit vehicles that were withdrawn from the fleet during 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8244/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the allocation of resources within An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of vehicles, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. As Minister, I have no role in these operational decisions.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table shows the allocations to and removals from the fleet in 2021 and to date in 2022.

Garda Roads Policing Vehicles – Allocations & Removals in 2021 and to date in 2022

Allocated Cars Vans Motorbikes 4x4 Total
2021 35 0 0 0 35
2022 as at 14/02/2022 0 0 0 0 0
Removed Cars Vans Mbikes 4x4 Total
2021 21 1 0 0 22
2022 as at 14/02/2022 1 0 0 0 1

I am further informed that the allocation of vehicles is made on the basis of identified operational demands and the availability of resources. The allocation of vehicles is monitored and reviewed on a continual basis to ensure the best match with operational requirements.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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611. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of competitions that were held for Garda members to apply to join the Garda armed support units during 2021 and to date in 2022; if a fresh competition for members to apply to join will be held before end of quarter 1 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8245/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

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