Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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486. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of bench warrants currently outstanding in the Clare Garda division; the number that were outstanding for more than 180 days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56725/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the allocation of Garda resources in respect of identified operational demands.  As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.  

As the Deputy will appreciate, difficulties in relation to the execution of warrants, including bench warrants, are a long-standing issue for many police services around the world; notably relating to persons actively seeking to evade detection and where limited identification information might be available to support enforcement.  I am assured, however, that An Garda Síochána execute warrants as expeditiously as possible, giving priority to the execution of warrants relating to serious crimes. 

The Deputy will also appreciate that the figure for outstanding bench warrants recorded by PULSE at any given time reflects an accumulation of old bench warrants which has arisen over the years and that therefore the total figure for outstanding bench warrants as shown on PULSE may not be a reliable indicator of the number of 'live' warrants which are actually enforceable.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below shows the number of bench warrants that were outstanding on the 13th November 2022 in Clare Division.

The figures provided were collated based on data from PULSE as of 1:30 a.m. on 14 November 2022.  They are operational and may be liable to change.