Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

418. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 604 of 28 March 2023, if he has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities to have this PQ answered. [19370/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I understand that Parliamentary Question No. 604 of 28 March 2023 refers to the number of persons arrested and charged with drug driving within the Tipperary Garda division in 2022 and to date in 2023.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), which includes the enforcement of road traffic legislation and the recording of information on the Garda IT systems. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

However, to be of assistance I sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána and have been advised that a search of the PULSE database has been conducted, and that as of 28 March 2023 there were fewer than 10 persons arrested and subsequently charged with a drugs driving offences in Tipperary Division since 1 January 2022.

I am also advised by the Garda authorities that a breakdown cannot be provided as An Garda Síochána do not report on incident types numbering under 10 in a given timeframe/geographic locale, due to data protection concerns, and therefore I am unable to provide this information to the Deputy.