Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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142. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of bench warrants currently outstanding in each Garda division as of 25 April 2025; the number older than 6 months, older than 12 months, and the longest outstanding issue date; the total number of outstanding bench warrants that predate 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21626/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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While the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the allocation of Garda resources in respect of identified operational demands, I am assured that An Garda Síochána execute warrants as expeditiously as possible, giving priority to the execution of warrants relating to serious crimes.

The execution of warrants, including bench warrants, can be impeded by persons actively seeking to evade detection and where limited identification information might be available to support enforcement. This data also reflects an accumulation of old bench warrants and therefore may not be a reliable indicator of the number of 'live' warrants which are actually enforceable.

I am informed by the Garda Authorities that a bench warrant does not expire and is only removed from the PULSE system when cancelled by the Court. Local management in An Garda Síochána monitor the number of warrants (including bench warrants) under their area of responsibility. Applications may be made by An Garda Síochána to the court to cancel bench warrants following consideration of a number of factors, including: an error on the warrant, the death of the defendant, previous failed attempts to execute the warrant, the age of the warrant or evidence that there is now an inability to prosecute the substantive charge.

The table below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, shows the number of bench warrants that were outstanding by region and division as of 27 April 2025.

Figures were collated based on PULSE data as of 27 April 2025. Please note that these figures are operational and may be liable to change.