Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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634. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 899 of 13 May, if he has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities in order for this PQ to be answered. [33969/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 899 of 13 May 2025 where you sought:

“To ask the Minister for Justice with regard to the Garda driver training unit at Garda HQ, the number of filled posts, the number of vacant posts; when will those vacant posts be filled, in tabular form.”

As you will recall, I sought the information from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.

I have been informed by the Garda Authorities that An Garda Síochána has two Driver Training Schools, both of which are under the remit of the Garda College. One is based in the Garda College in Templemore and the other is attached to Garda HQ.

The table below shows the number of Garda driving instructor posts at each of these centres and the existing vacancies as at 26 March 2025.

The allocation of additional resources is considered on an ongoing basis, and any allocation of additional personnel will be considered in the context of the overall requirements of the organisation including specialist bureaux and frontline operational divisions.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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635. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a schedule of the number of instances in which a Garda has utilised their telescopic baton; has utilised incapacitant spray; has utilised non-lethal ballistics and or taser use; and has discharged a firearm in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. [33996/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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An Garda Síochána's human rights based approach to policing provides general guidance to Garda members and Garda staff on how human rights are to be observed in the course of their work.

Additionally, as outlined in the Garda Public Order policy, it is the aim of An Garda Síochána to uphold and protect the human and constitutional rights of everyone by providing a high quality, effective policing service in partnership with the community and in co-operation with other agencies.

In carrying out their duties, members of An Garda Síochána must, as far as practicable and in so far as the circumstances dictate, consider non-physical means before resorting to the use of force in the resolution of public order incidents.

For the Deputy’s information, detailed statistics relating to the Use of Force are published, by mont and year, on the Garda website at the following link: Use of Force Statistics 2024 - Garda (www.garda.ie/en/information-centre/statistics/use-of-force-statistics-2024.html)

As is the case with all operational policing matters, the Garda authorities are responsible for the maintenance of public order. I am informed by Garda management that their approach to policing public order is predicated on keeping people safe, preventing anti-social and criminal behaviour, and the management of traffic. We must rely on Garda operational management and frontline Gardaí to use their discretion and judgment.

For the Deputy’s information, a monthly breakdown of use of force is also published in the Commissioner’s Report to the Policing and Community Safety Authority, available at the following link:

www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/general-reports/commissioner-s-monthly-reports-to-policing-and-community-safety-authority/.

Previous reports to the Policing Authority are also available at:

www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/general-reports/commissioner-s-monthly-reports-to-policing-authority-pre-2-april-2025-/.