Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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501. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1553 of 23 July 2024, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities in order for this PQ to be answered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36374/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I understand that Parliamentary Question No. 1553 of 23 July 2024 sought “the full breakdown of the Garda costs incurred during the visit of the US president to Ireland in April 2023.”

As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes all operation protocols and security arrangements and their associated costs. As Minister I have no role in these matters.

As you will appreciate, high level visits to Ireland are of significant importance in the development and maintenance of our relations with other States. Such visits are to be welcomed and offer important opportunities to us, as a small outward-looking State, for positive engagement with partners.

In terms of the costs associated with the visit to Ireland of President Biden, you will appreciate that there is an obligation on the State to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of every visiting dignitary, in line with risk assessment. Similar measures and courtesies are as a matter of course also extended to Ireland, when the President and members of Government travel on official visits to other States.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that a cost of €31.86 million is recorded as incurred by An Garda Síochána in relation to the visit of the US President in April 2023 to Ireland. A breakdown of this figure is provided below:

To note, figures are in millions of euro. Information supplied is operational and subject to change.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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502. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons arrested and charged with reckless discharge of a firearm within the M district of the Dublin Metropolitan Region zone in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36375/24]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I have been advised by the Garda authorities that the annual count of charge or summons for reckless discharge of a firearm in the specific district is less than 10 in any given year.

I am further advised that data is not released by An Garda Síochána for counts less than 10, for data protection and security reasons.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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503. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a new contract for the provision of new marked Garda vans will be put out to tender before the end of 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36376/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda resources. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

Garda vehicles, including vans, are purchased under contracts tendered by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). The new tender process is being undertaken by the OGP.

The purchase and allocation of vehicles by An Garda Síochána is made on the basis of identified operational demands, the availability of resources and is reviewed on a continual basis.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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504. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of competitions held for sworn Gardaí to apply to join the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) in 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of posts, by rank, that were available in each competition; the number of Gardaí, by rank, that applied for each rank that were available within the GNIB in those competitions, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36377/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). This includes the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff, and all internal Garda promotion competitions. As Minister I have no role in these independent functions.

To be of assistance I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been advised that the below table shows the number of competitions, number of vacancies and number of applicants by rank to join the Garda National Immigration Bureau.

An Garda Síochána do not provide data for counts of fewer than 10 due to security and data protection considerations.

Please note that the information supplied is correct as of 13 September 2024, is operational and is subject to change.