Alan Kelly
Question:185. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice when he expects the new aircraft and helicopters to come into service within the Garda air support unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3757/25]
View answerAn Garda Síochána
Questions (185)
Written answers
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 acquisition of aircraft, 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.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU) is a national resource based at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co. Dublin. The unit is under the direction and control of Assistant Commissioner, Organised and Serious Crime, and the operational control of Detective Chief Superintendent, Operational Support Services. The unit provides a 24-hour proactive and reactive service in support of operational Gardaí on the ground and specialist units.
I am advised that there are two helicopters attached to the Garda aircraft fleet, a Eurocopter EC 135 T2 and a EC135 T2+ which were delivered in 2001 and 2007 respectively.
I am informed that an application was made to replace both aircraft, and sanction for a fixed wing aircraft and two helicopters has been secured.
I am further informed that from the current project timelines, it is expected that the new rotary and fixed wing aircraft will become operational by Q4, 2025.
As the Deputy will be aware, the new helicopter has recently been approved for purchase and is expected to be delivered in Q4, 2026.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (186)
Alan Kelly
Question:186. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice if a new contract for the provision of new unmarked Garda cars will put out to tender before Easter 2025. [3758/25]
View answerWritten answers
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 unmarked Garda Cars, are purchased under contracts tendered by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). However, I am informed that the current contract for the purchase of unmarked Garda Cars is in place until 8 April 2026.
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.
Prison Service
Questions (187, 194, 196)
Barry Ward
Question:187. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of people currently employed within the Irish prison service, by role and by prison/office location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3772/25]
View answerBarry Ward
Question:194. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of staff within the Irish prison service that are directly involved in the Prison Service escort corp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3801/25]
View answerBarry Ward
Question:196. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number people employed directly within female prisons within the Irish Prison Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3803/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 187, 194 and 196 together.
I can advise the Deputies that for security and operational reasons, the Irish Prison Service is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the staff resources allocated to individual prisons. The allocation of staffing across the prison estate is based on the security and operational needs of each individual prison. The number of staff required is influenced by factors including, in particular, the numbers in custody, category of prisoner and regimes and a range of other factors, including the risks and needs associated with specific areas and particular offenders.
However, the total number of FTE staff employed by the Irish Prison Service as at 31 January 2025 is outlined in the table below.
|
Period |
Prison Officers * |
Other Grades ** |
|
31/01/2025 |
Prison Officers * |
Other Grades ** |
|
|
2,321 |
1,227.3 |
* Prison Officers & Recruit Prison Officers.
** Governor Grades, Assistant Chief Officers, Work Training Officers, Chief Officers, Trade Officers, Tutors, Medical Staff, Psychology Staff, Chaplains and Prison Administrative Staff.
The figures provided in the table above do not include Headquarter Staff, but do include fixed term contract staff e.g. Assistant Psychologists, Trainee Psychologists and Research Assistants.
I can also advise the Deputies that Prison Service Escort Corps was established in 2005 to provide a prisoner escorting service and the table below outlines the number of FTE staff assigned to the Prison Service Escort Corp as of 31 January 2025.
|
- |
Prison Officers * |
Other Grades ** |
Total Number of Staff |
|
31/01/2025 |
180 |
21 |
201 |
* Prison Officers & Recruit Prison Officers.
** Governor Grades, Assistant Chief Officers, Work Training Officers, Chief Officers and Prison Administrative Staff.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (188)
Pearse Doherty
Question:188. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2023 and 2024; the purpose, value, and duration of each contract in relation to public bodies under the aegis of his Department, including where consulting contracts are classified under ‘business-as-usual outsourcing’ for annual reporting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3787/25]
View answerWritten answers
It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
Prison Service
Questions (189)
Barry Ward
Question:189. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the average annual cost of housing a prisoner within the Irish prison system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3794/25]
View answerWritten answers
I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the average annual cost of an available, staffed prison space during the calendar year 2023 was €88,523. The 2024 cost will be made available by the IPS as soon as is possible.
Question No. 190 answered with Question No. 180.
Prison Service
Questions (191)
Barry Ward
Question:191. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of incidents that have occurred in Irish prisons that have resulted in disciplinary action, per year since 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3797/25]
View answerWritten answers
I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the number of incidents resulting in prisoner disciplinary sanctions for breach of prison discipline, by prison, for the period 2022 to end of January 2025 are outlined in Table 1 below.
A disciplinary system is in place under the Prisons Act 2007 which empowers Governors to deal with prisoners who have breached the Prison Rules and allows for the imposition of sanctions where a breach of the Rules has been proven to take place.
Such sanctions are normally in the form of loss of certain privileges, such as reduced phone calls, reduced visits, prohibition on the use of the gym, prohibition on use of the tuck shop etc, for defined periods of time. At the higher end of the scale, sanction can comprise a reduction in remission.
I can further advise the Deputy that disciplinary matters involving prison staff are covered by the same regulations as civil servants generally, ie the Civil Service Disciplinary Code.
Matters that may lead to disciplinary action under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code can include, for example - poor timekeeping, unsatisfactory attendance record, or unauthorised absences at the lower end, to theft, fraud, misappropriation of funds, assault on another person in the course of employment at the higher end. The disciplinary actions that can be taken are dependent on the nature and seriousness of the misconduct with possible sanctions ranging from a verbal warning to dismissal. I am advised that the vast majority of disciplinary matters progressed by the Irish Prison Service under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code are attendance-related.
Table 2 below outlines the number of staff disciplinary sanctions for the period 2022 to end of January 2025.
Table 1 - Prisoner Disciplinary Sanctions for Breach of Prison Discipline
|
Prison |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
January 2025 |
|
Arbour Hill Prison |
11 |
30 |
22 |
0 |
|
Castlerea Prison |
208 |
447 |
616 |
44 |
|
Cloverhill Remand Prison |
2,791 |
2,880 |
2,893 |
322 |
|
Cork Prison |
549 |
547 |
729 |
58 |
|
Limerick Prison |
461 |
446 |
660 |
61 |
|
Loughan House Place Of Detn. |
70 |
78 |
77 |
3 |
|
Midlands Prison |
811 |
927 |
951 |
91 |
|
Mountjoy Prison ( Female) |
289 |
409 |
392 |
41 |
|
Mountjoy Prison ( Male ) |
1,253 |
1,447 |
2,123 |
208 |
|
Portlaoise Prison |
222 |
420 |
338 |
34 |
|
Shelton Abbey Place Of Detn. |
70 |
66 |
62 |
2 |
|
Training Unit Place Of Detn. |
1 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
|
Wheatfield Place of Detention |
1,983 |
2,052 |
2,091 |
155 |
|
Overall |
8,926 |
9,751 |
10,960 |
1,019 |
Table 2 - IPS Staff - Disciplinary Action under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code
|
Year |
Total |
|
2022 |
109 |
|
2023 |
252 |
|
2024 |
184 |
|
2025 to 31 January 2025 |
16 |
Prison Service
Questions (192)
Barry Ward
Question:192. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of prisoners in the Irish prison system that are subject to isolation restrictions for over 20 hours per day and for over 23 hours per day, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3798/25]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware there are a number of reasons for the restriction of a person’s regime while in custody. This includes for safety or protection reasons, on the grounds of order and to protect the prison population from the spread of infection.
My Department has taken steps to bring the Irish prison system into line with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (known as ‘Mandela Rules’) in respect of solitary confinement. This included the introduction of Statutory Instrument 276 of 2017 which amended Rule 27 of the Prison Rules 2007 and which provides for prisoners to be allowed to spend a minimum period of 2 hours out of his or her cell daily. This Statutory Instrument is implemented through the Irish Prison Service's Policy on the Elimination of Solitary Confinement, which is publicly available on their website.
As the Deputy will be aware there are a number of reasons why a person may be on a restricted regime, but this is not to say that in all instances where a person is on a restricted regime that they will be held in solitary confinement for 22+ hours a day. The Prison Rules 2007 also provide that the imposition of a restricted regime is closely monitored by the Irish Prison Service and the status of each prisoner on restricted regime within the prison system is regularly reviewed.
On occasion, it is necessary for prisoners to be separated from the general prison population. Under Rule 62 of the Prison Rules 2007, a Governor may decide, for the maintenance of good order in the prison, to remove a prisoner from general association or structured activity. The detention of a prisoner under this Rule must be reviewed by the Governor every 7 days. Where a prisoner is detained under Rule 62 for more than 21 days, the Governor must, on a weekly basis, submit a report to the Director General including the views of the prisoner, explaining the need for the continued removal of the prisoner from structured activity or association and requesting an extension on the prisoner’s detention under the Rule.
Rule 63 of the Prison Rules, 2007 provides that a prisoner may, either at his/her own request, or when the Governor considers it necessary, in so far as is practicable and subject to the maintenance and good order and safe and secure custody, be kept separate from other prisoners who are reasonably likely to cause significant harm to him/her. The number of prisoners on Rule 63 fluctuates daily and the length of time spent on Rule 63 varies greatly as the level of threat and perceived threat changes. Prisoners on Rule 63 may be permitted to mix with other prisoners on Rule 63 in different risk groups and therefore are not considered to be in ‘solitary confinement’. The Governor may also seek to place a prisoner on Rule 63 if information from An Garda Síochána, or other intelligence sources, indicate concerns about safety.
Further to this, a smaller number of prisoners may have their regimes restricted for medical (Rule 64) or for disciplinary reasons (Rule 67). Prisoners placed on a restricted regime for medical reasons are reviewed every 24 hours by the medical team and the Governor.
I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has confirmed that statistics available regarding prisoners on a restricted regime are collated by the Irish Prison Service Statistics Unit and published on its website (www.irishprisons.ie). This information can be found in the Information Centre under Statistics & Information, Census Reports. The Tables complied as a result of the July 2024 census are available on the IPS website and included in this response, for ease of reference. I am advised that the January 2025 census is currently being finalised and will be published on the Irish Prison Service website in the coming weeks.
Question No. 193 answered with Question No. 183.
Question No. 194 answered with Question No. 187.
Question No. 195 answered with Question No. 180.
Question No. 196 answered with Question No. 187.
Immigration Policy
Questions (197)
Máire Devine
Question:197. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Justice if he will grant an amnesty period for a visa applicant (details supplied) as he has been attempting to make appointments to renew his visa via the Immigration Service Delivery's digital contact centre, but due to poor system availability, has been unable to do so; if he will arrange for appropriate personnel to contact the applicant directly to make an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3818/25]
View answerWritten answers
I can inform the Deputy that the person concerned has been contacted by the Registration Office within Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) of my Department and arrangements have been made to renew their immigration residence permission.
In keeping with the Government commitment to significantly enhance the delivery of public services digitally, phase one of the Department of Justice Immigration Digital Contact Centre (DCC) went live in October 2024. The DCC is a self-service portal that enables applicants to check their immigration application status, book first-time registration appointments, and submit queries.
I can inform the Deputy that due to high volumes of people accessing our online services in January some applicants experienced very slow speeds and sessions disconnecting, this included people wishing to make registration appointments. I am informed these technical issues are in the process of being resolved. My Department is also aware of some customers finding it difficult to register for a digital account; this issue relates mainly to the validation of identity documentation. A detailed user guide to help applicants through the process will be released in the coming days.
I appreciate this may have caused frustration from some of our applicants and my Department will work with any applicants that have been affected to ensure they can access an appointment in a timely manner without impacting adversely on their immigration status.
Immigration Service Delivery is committed to providing the best possible service to applicants and a centralised applicant support team has been established comprising of over 20 staff to support this. Since the DCC went live more than 55,000 people have registered with the system, 15,000 appointments have been booked successfully and 47,000 customer queries have been resolved.
Work is ongoing to continuously improve the services offered by the DCC and my Department and ISD remains committed to providing the best possible service to applicants and service users.
Queries in relation to the status of any individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility (IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie), which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (198)
Alan Kelly
Question:198. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice if concerns were raised with his Department in respect of the defective nature of leather pistol holsters procured from a company (details supplied). [3825/25]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management and administration of Garda business, including procurement of equipment.
I am informed that where appropriate Garda members are trained in handling firearms. As the Deputy will be aware, a safety holster is provided, as standard.
As the matter referred to by the Deputy is a the subject of a legal process, I am not in a position to respond further. However, I am informed that the device referred to is no longer in use by An Garda Síochána.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (199)
Alan Kelly
Question:199. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of Gardaí by rank attached to each divisional public service vehicle inspector as of 30 January 2025, in tabular form. [3853/25]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that, as of 31 January 2025, there are 20 Public Service Vehicle Inspectors nationwide. 18 Gardaí are included in this figure, with two Sergeants based in Galway and Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Divisions.
I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategies, are continually monitored and reviewed. This ensures that optimum use is made of resources and the best possible policing service is provided to the public.
Immigration Policy
Questions (200)
Eamon Scanlon
Question:200. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Justice the options available to a person (details supplied) whose period of stay expires in March 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3914/25]
View answerWritten answers
I can advise the Deputy, that Guyanese nationals wishing to travel to Ireland can do so through a number of legal pathways. Details of the various pathways can be found on the Immigration Service website of my Department at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/
Based on the information supplied, it has unfortunately not been possible to locate an immigration application for the person referred to.
As an Oireachtas member, you can request assistance regarding individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose.
If additional information could be submitted though the Oireachtas Mail facility, officials from my Department will be able to provide further information of the appropriate legal pathways available to the person concern.
Additional information which would be of assistance to my officials, includes the following:
* First / given name of applicant
* Family / surname of applicant
* Date of birth of applicant
* Person ID Number
* Application number
* Information regarding their current immigration status
Additionally, if person concerned has made an application for immigration permission to my Department can now directly check the status of their immigration application on the Immigration Service’s new Digital Contact Centre. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at:
https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/