Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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779. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda cars and vans allocated to the Cavan-Monaghan division to date in 2024; and the number of those vehicles withdrawn from this division to date in 2024, in tabular form. [45010/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes the distribution of resources, including the Garda fleet, across the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in this matter.

The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources needed to keep people safe. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2.48 billion in Budget 2025. This is allowing for sustained investment in recruitment, equipment, technology and vehicles.

There are now 3,530 vehicles in the Garda fleet, the highest total of vehicles ever in use by An Garda Síochána and an increase of over 35% since 2015. The fleet includes 2,657 cars, 589 vans, 132 motorcycles, 100 4x4 and 52 others (refers to MPV, SUV, Minibus or Prisoner Conveyance Vehicles).

The table below, which has been provided to me by the Garda authorities, indicates the number of cars and vans allocated and removed from the Louth-Cavan-Monaghan Division in 2024 to 31 October.

Louth-Cavan-Monaghan are one division and the responsibility for the efficient deployment of all official Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer who may allocate vehicles between Stations as required by operational circumstances.

I have been advised that 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.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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780. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of increasing the size of the Garda Reserve to 900 before the end of 2026. [45011/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources needed to Keep People Safe. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of €2.48 billion in Budget 2025. This represents a 27% increase in funding since 2020.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment and training of Garda Reserve members, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended).

The Garda Reserve represents a real opportunity for anyone wishing to make a contribution to their community and, in some cases, learn more about the role of a Garda member prior to seeking to join An Garda Síochána full time. Reserves serve a very valuable role in assisting Gardaí with local patrols, crime reduction initiatives and administration.

There are currently around 325 Garda Reserves, as of the end of June 2024, and we have set a target of 1,000 Reserves by 2026. The Government is committed to working with the Garda Commissioner to achieve this goal.

A competition to recruit Garda Reserves opened in June, the first in many years. Garda Reserves play a vital role in their communities, and the revised regulations brought forward will allow them to contribute even more effectively. The Garda Reserve competition closed in early July and received over 1,800 applications.

To further support this competition, I was pleased to bring forward new regulations governing recruitment, training and deployment of the Reserve. I believe this also represents a great opportunity to broaden the recruitment pool for An Garda Síochána, particularly among communities which have not traditionally joined the service in large numbers.

To help support the work of Reserves, we have increased the maximum stipend a Reserve member receives for voluntary service in a given year from €1,000 to €3,000.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that to increase the Garda Reserve to a strength of 900 by the end of 2026 would require an additional 577 Garda Reserves. The Garda Authorities advise hat the estimated additional annual cost attached to such an increase would range between €288,500 to €1,731,000 depending on many factors including the amount of hours of service per Reserve.

Other potential costs such as expenses incurred by Garda Reserves are not included in the above estimate.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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781. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 374 of 8 October 2024, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities to answer the question. [45033/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Parliamentary Question No. 374 of 8 October 2024 refers to Operation Cartwheel; the number of persons arrested and charged under this operation; and if this operation is still ongoing at present.

As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes responsibility for the organisation's approaches to preventing and investigating criminal activity. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.

Operation Cartwheel refers to investigations into people who benefited by falsely obtaining learner permits and the individuals who organised and facilitated this fraud. Allegations were made in relation to people paying others to sit their test to obtain learner permits.

I am informed that the Garda authorities referred this matter to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) for investigation and a decision was made that the GNECB would retain the investigations into the people who organised and facilitated this fraud.

Investigations into the people who benefited by falsely obtaining learner permits would be referred to local Garda Districts for investigation.

GNECB identified and arrested five main suspects. The DPP has directed that these be charged with a number of offences each. Thus far, two persons have been charged.

I am informed that 114 people were identified by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) as having obtained their first learner permit by fraud.

I am advised that the RSA have invalidated these 114 learners permits and any licences that were obtained from these learner permits. As learner permits are only valid for a two year period, no driver from this pool of 114 people currently holds an in-date learner permit or valid licence obtained by these means.

Arising from these investigations, I am informed that GNECB prepared 113 investigation packs and sent them to external districts for investigation.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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782. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí within Tipperary who have successfully completed the Garda driving level 3 course in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [45034/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have been advised by the Garda authorities that fewer than ten Garda members completed the CBD level 3 course in the Tipperary Division during the years requested by the Deputy. I am further advised that for returns less than 10, An Garda Síochána do not release these figures, in line with data protection requirements.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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783. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 373 of 8 October 2024, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities to answer the question. [45035/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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784. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she expects to publish the Policing Authority report on Garda public order training. [45047/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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In light of the serious public order disturbances in Dublin City Centre on 23 November, I requested the Authority to look at the steps taken to implement the 2019 Garda Inspectorate report on Public Order Policing, including whether additional equipment, ICT, vehicles or training are needed, and if any changes to policies, procedures, or indeed the law are required.

Arrangements are being made to bring this report to Government prior to it's publication. The Commissioner has also discussed the report with the Policing Authority.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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785. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on Operation Tombola this year, within DMR west. [45048/24]

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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787. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on Operation Tombola this year within DMR north. [45050/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 785 and 787 together.

As the Deputy is aware, each year in the run up to Halloween, additional efforts are made by An Garda Síochána to combat the illegal importation, sale and use of fireworks, under what is known as Operation Tombola. Operation Tombola is a national operation.

I am informed by An Garda Síochána that Operation Tombola was actively implemented across the DMR in the lead-up to and during the Halloween period, with each Chief Superintendent overseeing targeted measures to address the sale, supply, and possession of fireworks, as well as anti-social behaviour.

I have been further informed that among the actions incorporated into the Divisional Policing Plans - particularly within the DMR North & West Divisions, as well as across all DMR divisions - were enhanced patrolling, with increased overt and covert patrols in key areas, including usual gathering locations for young people and areas likely to stockpile bonfire materials.

There were also regular patrols on Dublin Bus, LUAS, and DART services in the days leading up to Halloween, ensuring a visible presence to deter anti-social behaviour.

Gardaí conducted talks and sessions in schools and youth services throughout the region, specifically targeting young individuals who may be involved in the sale, supply, or use of fireworks, and the identification of unplanned and unsupervised bonfire sites also took place, followed by coordination with local authorities to remove any stockpiled bonfire materials before Halloween.

I have also been advised that gardaí engaged in active monitoring of open-source media to identify potential locations where individuals were engaging in the illegal sale and supply of fireworks, and designated Garda personnel were assigned to monitor CCTV feeds to ensure incidents were addressed swiftly and to capture necessary evidence for follow-up.

A key component of Operation Tombola this year has been active engagement with local authorities and partner agencies in each division, and gardaí collaborated closely with these stakeholders to ensure a unified approach to preventing anti-social behaviour during the Halloween period.

These measures were effectively coordinated to minimize the risk of anti-social behaviour, ensure public safety, and maintain a secure environment during the Halloween period.

I am informed by An Garda Síochána that there have been 53 seizures in the DMR during Operation Tombola involving the seizure of illegal fireworks.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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786. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities to answer Parliamentary Question No 331 of 1 October 2024. [45049/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Parliamentary Question No. 331 of 1 October 2024 refers to the number of Sergeants, Inspectors and Superintendents within the Dublin Metropolitan Region that have qualified as bronze commanders, silver commanders, and gold commanders to date in 2024 for dealing with major public order incidents.

As you will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business. This includes the deployment of Garda resources and training of Garda personnel. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

The Garda authorities advise that the correct title for this training course is Strategic, Tactical and Operational Commanders training. The Garda College no longer uses the terminology of Gold, Silver and Bronze to differentiate training in this area.

I am further advised that in 2024 to date, 12 Chief Superintendents and fewer than 10 Assistant Commissioners have completed Strategic, Tactical and Operational Commanders training, in the Dublin Metropolitan Region.

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