Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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329. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is aware that thousands of firearms surrendered in response to S.I. No. 187/1972 - Firearms (Temporary Custody Order), 1972, commonly referred to as the 1972 weapons, are still held by An Garda Síochána some fifty years later, despite the order being in force for only a month; and the action he proposes to take to return those 1972 firearms to their rightful owners or to their beneficiaries where such owners may now be deceased. [22423/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces continue to retain a significant number of firearms which were surrendered to garda stations and army barracks in 1972 as a result of the Firearms (Temporary Custody) Order 1972, Statutory Instrument No. 187/1972.

This order required, in the interest of public safety, that every person residing in the State should, on or before 5 August 1972, surrender to Gardaí any pistol or revolver or any rifled firearm of a calibre greater than .22 inches and any ammunition for such firearms.

I am advised that in order to claim such a weapon, an individual must prove ownership and be granted a firearms certificate prior to making their claim. Where possible and lawful, the weapons will be returned to owners/families of owners or destroyed, as appropriate.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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330. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the Garda Commissioner has provided him with a copy a report (details supplied) [22429/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Under section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes compliance with all relevant legislative responsibilities placed upon public bodies by statute. The Commissioner is independent in his functions under section 34 of the Act.

Reports produced internally by An Garda Síochána into protected disclosures are not routinely furnished to the Minister for Justice.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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331. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of money seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau each year from 2020 to date in 2025; the amount returned by CAB to the Exchequer for the same period, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22444/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Eradicating organised crime is central to building safer, stronger communities. I am committed to that goal, and strengthening and expanding the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is an important element of this. It is essential to deprive criminals of the proceeds of crime.

CAB is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act, 1996. The Bureau’s remit is to target a person's assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. The Chief Bureau Officer is responsible to the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána for the administration and business of the Criminal Assets Bureau. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these functions.

I am advised by CAB that the table below sets out the amount of financial assets (which includes cash, cryptocurrency and money in financial institutions) seized or frozen by the Bureau for the years 2020 - 2023. The figures are based on the estimated value placed by the Bureau on the asset at the time of making the application under section 2(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996. It is important to note that following the completion of investigations and hearings, all assets listed may not equate in returns to the Exchequer.

The figures for 2024 and 2025 are not yet available and will be published in their respective annual reports.

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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332. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications for each of the Garda college recruitment processes since 2000; the number in respect of each process that have been recruited; the number still under consideration for each of these processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22449/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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My first priority as Minister for Justice is to get more Gardaí on our streets through increased recruitment.

For the fourth year running, a Garda recruitment competition took place in 2025. I am delighted to note that just under 6,800 applications were received.

Regarding applications that are still in progress, there are six applications remaining in progress from the 2022 competition, 22 from the 2023 competition, and 495 from the 2024 competition. This gives a total of 523 applications still under consideration from those years.

The below table, which has been provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out in tabular form the requested information from the year 2014, when the Garda College was reopened, onwards.