Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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. This includes the management of the Garda Fleet. 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 have contacted the Garda authorities for the information requested by the Deputy, and am advised that the table below outlines the number of mountain bikes allocated to each District within the Meath Garda Division.

DISTRICT	MOUNTAIN BIKES
Ashbourne	8
Kells	3
Trim	3
Navan	5
TOTAL	19

Information is as of 5 September 2023 and is operational and subject to change.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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.

The CSO publish statistics for Sexual Offences at Garda Divisional level from Q1 2003 through Q1 2023 at the following location:

data.cso.ie/table/CJQ06

I am advised that the next quarterly release is due for publication in the coming weeks.

As the Deputy may also be aware, my Department is leading the implementation across Government of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence which prioritises prevention and reduction and includes a National Preventative Strategy.

It has set an overall goal of zero tolerance in Irish society for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Built on the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention, the Strategy was accompanied by an implementation plan which runs to the end of this year, setting out 144 detailed actions assigned to various departments and agencies.

One of the priorities is a new, standalone State agency with responsibility for domestic, sexual and gender based violence, to be established in January 2024, which will be central to achieving our goal of zero tolerance.

Other key elements of the Strategy include:

• the doubling of the number of refuge places,
• expanding supports for victims,
• strengthening legislative provisions, and
• working to raise awareness of DSGBV and the supports available.

These reforms are focused on creating a more victim centred criminal justice system to ensure that victims, and in particular vulnerable victims, feel empowered to report crimes, and that when they do, they are fully supported at every stage of their interaction with our justice system.

The full implementation plan can be accessed here:

www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Supporting_a_Victims_Journey.pdf/Files/Supporting_a_Victims_Journey.pdf