Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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531. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drug detection dogs trained to use their senses to detect illegal substances that are available in each Garda division; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16679/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. The Commissioner is also responsible for the deployment of An Garda Síochána throughout the State and, as Minister, I have no direct role in these independent functions.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the Garda Dog Unit (GDU) is based at Kilmainham Garda Station, in the Dublin Metropolitan Region and has a national remit under the direction and control of Assistant Commissioner, Organised & Serious Crime and the strategic control of Detective Chief Superintendent, Operational Support Services. The Garda Dog Units at Cork and Limerick are under the direction of Assistant Commissioner, Organised & Serious Crime and the operational control of local Garda Management.

There are three types of working Garda dogs, namely:

- General Purpose Dogs,

- Drugs/Cash/Firearms Detection Dogs, and

- Explosive Detection Dogs .

Currently twenty-eight Garda working dogs are attached to the GDU, which includes those assigned to the Southern Regional Dog Unit based at Cork and Limerick.

The table below outlines the distribution of dogs within the GDU by type and location:

The training period for a Drugs/Cash/Firearms Detection dog is ten weeks, with the dog handler being trained with the dog at the same time. The dog handler and detection dog carry out ongoing training twice a month and receive refresher training every four months. Such dogs used for Drugs/Cash/Firearms detection are usually Springer Spaniel or Cocker Spaniel breeds.

The GDU has General Purpose Dogs which are generally German Sheppard, Belgian Sheppard or a Cross of German/Belgian Shepard breeds and are trained on human scent detection, public order (crowd control) and are trained to work with the Garda Public Order and Tactical Units at Major events.

Explosive Detection Dogs, which are all based in Dublin, are generally Labrador or Spaniel breeds. They are trained to detect the presence of explosive substances and are mainly used to conduct security searches to declare an area clear of explosives.

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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532. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the staffing complement of each Garda drug task force unit by Garda division for 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16678/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no responsibility for 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 informed by the Garda authorities that at 28 February 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 329 Garda personnel in Divisional Drugs Units assigned to tackle drug-related crime on a local basis throughout the country. This represents an increase of over 48% since 31 December 2018, when there were 222 Gardaí assigned to Divisional Drugs Units nationwide.

These members are supported, as needed, by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, which has 84 Gardaí attached to it as at 28 February 2022.

For the Deputy's information, the attached tables, which have been provided to me by the Garda authorities, set out the number of Garda members assigned to the Divisional Drugs Units in 2018 and up to and including 28 February 2022, the latest date for when figures are available.

A detailed breakdown of Garda numbers is available on my Department’s website. This information is updated every month with the latest data provided by An Garda Síochána. Information on Garda staff, the Garda Workforce and other facts and figures are available from the following link:www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Garda_Workforce

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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533. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drug-related offences in each Garda district in each of the years 2016 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16677/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity, and the enforcement of legislation pertaining to illegal drugs. The Government is acutely aware of the sustained and significant damage that drug dealing has on communities across the country. Organised criminal activity, including drug dealing, represents a serious threat to community safety.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) is having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs by organised crime groups. The Bureau’s work is supported by Divisional Drugs Units nationwide, and by all Gardaí working in local communities. GNDOCB also works closely and productively with international law enforcement partners. Gardaí continue to work closely with local authorities, the HSE, NGOs, community groups and other State agencies to tackle the problems of drug addiction and abuse.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases under reservation in relation to various crime statistics. The CSO also continues to work with An Garda Síochána to address quality issues in the underlying sources used to compile the statistics.

For the Deputy's information, the attached table outlines the number of controlled drug offences for the years 2016 to 2021.

Furthermore, the latest available crime statistics, Q4 of 2021, as published by the Central Statistics Office on 29 March 2022 are publicly available at the link below.

www.cso.ie/en/csolatestnews/presspages/2022/recordedcrimequarter42021/

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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534. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the recruitment of more gardaí in rural areas to ensure the escalating drug problems as being reported by An Garda Síochána can be targeted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16676/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including for the recruitment, training and appointment of its members. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.

I am very pleased that, as we celebrate 100 years of service from An Garda Síochána, the Government is increasing the number of Gardaí on our streets. Budget 2022 includes an unprecedented allocation of in excess of €2 billion to An Garda Síochána, including provision for the recruitment of up to 800 Gardaí and 400 Garda staff this year.

Garda numbers continue to increase steadily with an overall complement of 14,315 Garda members, which is a 5.6% increase since 2017, including a 6.8% increase in Limerick where there are 596 Gardaí as of 28 February.

The Deputy will be aware that a Garda recruitment campaign closed earlier this month and I am advised that there was a strong interest, with over 10,000 applications received.

The Department of Health leads on government policy in the area of drugs, and this policy is guided by the national drugs and alcohol strategy "Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025". This strategy represents a whole-of-Government response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. The implementation of the strategy is led by my colleague the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Frank Feighan, and encompasses actions for all stakeholders, including An Garda Síochána and my Department.

The strategy recognises the need for a balanced health-led approach of reducing demand, while also reducing access to illegal drugs, and is aimed at reducing the number of people criminalised for the possession of drugs for personal use. While this strategy supports the vulnerable people who use drugs, it is also matched with strengthened enforcement measures across government to tackle the supply of illegal drugs.

Sustained action by An Garda Síochána has continued unabated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing significant convictions and ongoing seizures of drugs, firearms and ammunition. I am advised by the Garda authorities that in 2021, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) seized almost €64m worth of illicit drugs and over €5.6m in cash, a significant increase from 2019, when there were over €21m worth of illicit drugs and over €2.5m in cash seized.