Thursday, 20 Mar 2025

Crime Prevention

Questions (161)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

161. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Justice for an update on his plan to tackle the issue of knife crime. [12675/25]

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Written answers

I strongly condemn the use of knives to threaten, intimidate or harm others. The Government is committed to ensuring that the problems that we have seen in neighbouring jurisdictions do not repeat themselves here.

There are no quick-fix solutions to tackling knife crime. Long term, evidence-based strategies are needed that address knife crime as part of a wider strategic response to anti-social behaviour, street violence, youth offending and domestic violence.

Knives may be used in the commission of many different types of offence, ranging from threats and intimidation, robbery and aggravated burglary to serious assaults and murder. There are many complex, interlinked and variable causes for the use of knives in the commission of offences.

There is already a comprehensive and robust legal framework in place in Ireland with respect to knife crime, including heavy penalties for breaches of the laws concerned with the maximum penalty for possessing a knife in a public place, without good reason or lawful authority, of five years. The Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill, which I intend to bring forward shortly, includes the power to stop and search a person or a vehicle, where a member of the Garda Síochána has a reasonable suspicion that a person is in possession of a knife.

A sub-group of the Anti-Social Behaviour Forum, chaired by then Minister of State Browne was established to consider further action to tackle knife crime in our communities in 2021. The report recommended increased penalties for certain offences involving carrying knives. These were carried forward in the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024, which was signed into law on 23 of July 2024. Part 9 of this Act, which increases the penalties for certain offences under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990, was commenced in September 2024.

The maximum penalty for the offences of possession of a knife with the intention of unlawfully intimidating or injuring another person, trespassing with a knife, and producing a knife while committing or appearing to be about to commit an offence, increased from 5 years to 7 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the offence of manufacturing, importing, selling, hiring or lending offensive weapons increased from 7 years to 10 years.

In addition, the Government doubled the maximum penalty for ‘assault causing harm’ under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 from 5 to 10 years imprisonment in 2023. Many assaults involving knives, fall within this offence category and this increase ensures that courts have the necessary sentencing powers to reflect the severity and impact of such crimes. The offence of ‘causing serious harm’ under section 4 of that Act already carries a potential life sentence.

I am also assured that Gardaí will continue with their proactive measures to tackle this issue, including their assault reduction strategy, which is targeted at tackling all types of assaults in public, including use of knives. This strategy is informed by a pro-arrest, early investigation and proactive high-visibility approach.

Visa Applications

Questions (162)

John Lahart

Question:

162. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice considering the challenges faced by non-EU family members seeking emergency visitor visas in urgent circumstances, such as family bereavement, if there are plans to review the current processing procedures to ensure that genuinely urgent cases are facilitated as swiftly as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12942/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can advise the Deputy that where my Department receive requests for visas in time-sensitive genuine emergency circumstances, such applications are treated sympathetically and facilitated where possible. In those circumstances, the applicant should follow the standard online application process using the AVATS system, www.visas.inis.gov.ie/avats/OnlineHome.aspx

As part of the application process, the applicant should state the nature of the emergency. This can be done by giving the additional relevant information under the “Other” option in the on-line form under the ‘Reason for Travel’ section.The applicant will then need to submit their passport and supporting documentation to their nearest Embassy, Consulate, Visa Office or Visa Application Centre as appropriate. The documentation should include evidence to verify the situation e.g. a bereavement notice, letter from a hospital/doctor or other relevant authority. Further information on the visa application process is available on my Departments Immigration Service website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-visit-ireland/giving-your-details-on-avats-for-a-visa-preclearance-application/

Applicants can now directly check the status of their immigration application, or to provide further information, by using the Immigration Service’s new Digital Contact Centre (DCC). They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at: portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/

It is also open to the applicant to make follow up contact with their appropriate Embassy, Consulate, Visa Office or Visa Application Centre regarding their application where, for example, online access is difficult or circumstances require direct contact.

Legislative Reviews

Questions (163)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

163. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice when the independent review of Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, announced in July 2020 and due for completion by end-2020, will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12809/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

My Department commissioned an independent consultant to undertake the statutory review of Part 4 of the Act but, due to a number of reasons, it was not possible for the review to be completed within the desired timeframe.

The Research and Evaluation Unit in the Department has now finished its work on the review. It will be brought to Government in the coming weeks and the recommendations will be progressed in coordination with relevant agencies and stakeholders.

Victim Support Services

Questions (164)

Catherine Ardagh

Question:

164. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Justice the measures he is taking to support victims of crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12741/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

Improving the experience of all victims engaging with the criminal justice system has been a priority for me since taking office. Under Budget 2025, €3,574,000 was allocated to support victims of crime.

Coming forward to report a crime can be a traumatic experience for victims and I am determined to do everything in my power to ensure that the criminal justice system empowers victims to have the confidence to report an offence, knowing they will be supported, informed, and treated respectfully for the entirety of the difficult journey they have to face. A significant amount of work has already been undertaken in this area, including through the implementation of ‘Supporting a Victims Journey ’, a detailed implementation plan to give effect to the recommendations made in the O'Malley Review, which was published in 2020.

Actions contained in the Programme for Government to better support victims include;

• Establishing specialised judges to handle domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV) cases and investing in training for Gardaí and the DPP to better support victims.

• Introducing an online facility for victims to obtain information on the status of their case.

• Undertaking an audit of our courthouses and facilities to assess their suitability for victims of DSGBV.

• Working with An Garda Síochána to ensure a person in an intimate relationship can be informed of a serious risk to them where a new partner has a history of domestic violence.

• Implementing the Human Trafficking Action Plan to identify and safeguard victims of human trafficking effectively through the introduction of a new National Referral Mechanism.

• Increasing funding allocated to Sexual Assault Treatment Units across the country.

Reforming our criminal justice system to make it more victim-centred is also a central focus of our Zero Tolerance Strategy for combatting DSGBV which builds on the reforms already introduced. The overarching purpose of the Strategy is to bring about changes in attitudes and in systems to ensure there is Zero Tolerance in our society for DSGBV and that all victims and survivors of these crimes have access to the highest standard of supports and services throughout the country.

The establishment of Cuan at the start of last year has ensured that there is a continued and coordinated focus on implementation of the strategy across Government, with Cuan bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue.

The 2024 Zero Tolerance implementation plan was launched last April. Key actions include increasing refuge spaces, empowering frontline professionals, reframing our understanding of ‘safe spaces’, creating a national services development plan and progressing legislative reform. Similar commitments will be progressed in the 2025/2026 implementation plan which Cuan will publish in the coming months.

Legislative provisions that have progressed include allowing for judges to set a recommended minimum period that should be served in prison in cases where a life sentence is handed down. This allows for the sentencing judge to recognise the harm done to an individual and to society in particularly heinous cases.

The Victims of Crime – Know Your Rights campaign was launched in April of 2023 in order to inform victims of what to expect, what their legal rights are and the supports available at every step in the process when they engage with the justice system. The campaign directs people to the VictimsCharter.ie website, which sets out an individual's rights in an easily accessible manner and helps victims of crime to locate services and supports.

Legislative Measures

Questions (165)

James O'Connor

Question:

165. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the initiatives he plans to take regarding defamation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12857/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

In line with the Programme for Government, the Defamation (Amendment) Bill has been restored to the Order Paper. This is an important Bill that balances and safeguards the rights to freedom of expression with the protection of a person's good name and reputation, and the right of access to justice. It provides for a range of reforms to address the many concerns raised by stakeholders during the public consultation on the review of the Defamation Act 2009.The Bill aims to reduce legal costs and delays for all parties in defamation proceedings; to support easier access to justice both for those whose reputations are unfairly attacked and for those subject to unfounded defamation proceedings; and to provide enhanced protection for responsible public-interest journalism and public participation. Key reforms include:

- the abolition of juries in High Court defamation cases;

- new statutory defence for ‘retail defamation’ cases;

- new defence for broadcasters in relation to live broadcasting;

- a revised ‘offer of amends’ procedure; and

- alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

The Bill also provides for certain safeguards against the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) in the context of defamation. I am committed to progressing this Bill to enactment as a matter of priority and I look forward to bringing it back to the House for Committee Stage in due course.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (166)

Mark Ward

Question:

166. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of Gardaí in Dublin metropolitan region west over the past five years; the number of community Gardaí for the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12734/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

While the Garda Commissioner is operationally responsible for the allocation of Garda resources, I look forward to engaging regularly with him to ensure our Gardaí have the resources they need. I am informed that when allocating and transferring Garda members to and from any Division, consideration is given to commitments and undertakings outlined in the Annual Policing Plan.

I understand that the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide are also taken into account, which include:

• Local and national crime trends and workloads;

• Policing arrangements and operational strategies;

• Minimum establishment statistics;

• Local population and trends, geographical area and size;

• Transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that as of 31 January 2025, the latest date for which figures are available, there was a total Garda workforce of almost 18,000.

In the interest of transparency, information in relation to the allocation of Gardaí by division, district, and station is publicly available and can be found at the link below. I can also advise the Deputy that I have received the most recent figures for January 2025 from An Garda Síochána which have been published on the website:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Please note that these figures are operational at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Prison Service

Questions (167)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

167. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice the number of prisoners per annum in Cork Prison from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; the measures being taken to tackle capacity issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12430/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

The Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to Cork Prison by the Courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.

Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, officials in the Irish Prison Service make every effort to deal with this through a combination of inter-prison transfers and structured Temporary Release. The legislative basis for temporary release is set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003. Decisions in relation to temporary release are considered on a case by case basis and the safety of the public is paramount when those decisions are made.

A Prison Overcrowding Response Group was established in 2023 to develop proposed actions to address the problem of Irish prisons operating above capacity. The Group comprised of representatives from the Department of Justice, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service, and the Courts Service. On foot of a report of this Group, in June 2024, a range of actions was approved and work to implement these actions is ongoing. These include developing new, innovative responses to deliver structured temporary release for suitable prisoners, actions to increase the use of community service as a priority, and advancing legislative changes, to support the delivery of community-based sanctions more generally.

Further, a Working Group was established in the second half of 2024 to further consider future prison capacity needs and to make recommendations on the numbers and types of prison capacity needed out to 2035. The work of this Group will support and inform future developments regarding prison capacity.

The budget for the IPS increased by €79m (18%) in Budget 2025 to €525m. The Irish Prison Service capital budget is €53m in 2025, an increase of €22.5m on the original 2024 allocation, focused on bringing additional prison spaces into the system.

The Department of Justice is engaging with the Irish Prison Service to progress plans to bring on stream accommodation to support the target of 1,500 additional prison places as set out under the Programme for Government. In recent years, capacity across the prison estate has been increased by in excess of 300 new spaces with over 100 of these added in the last 12 months and 50 to come onstream very soon.

The Irish Prison Service aims to recruit 300 prison officers in 2025, in addition to the 271 prison officers recruited in 2024. An additional €6.2m has been provided to fund 130,000 additional staff hours in our prisons.

The number of prisoners per annum in Cork Prison from 2020 to 2024 is contained in the table below. The Irish Prison Service publishes detailed statistical information on a monthly basis and this information is available on their website, www.irishprisons.ie, at: www.irishprisons.ie/information-centre/statistics-information/snapshot-statistics/

Year	Number of Persons*	Number of Committals	Daily Average in Custody
2024	852	985	335
2023	860	986	306
2022	714	829	262
2021	695	808	255
2020	744	873	271

*An individual can be committed on more than one occasion in the given year.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (168)

Ryan O'Meara

Question:

168. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Justice the number of Gardaí currently assigned to stations in the Nenagh and Thurles Garda districts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12611/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff.

While the Garda Commissioner is operationally responsible for the allocation of Garda resources, I look forward to engaging regularly with him to ensure our Gardaí have the resources they need. I am informed that when allocating and transferring Garda members to and from any Division, consideration is given to commitments and undertakings outlined in the Annual Policing Plan.

I understand that the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide are also taken into account, which include:

• Local and national crime trends and workloads;

• Policing arrangements and operational strategies;

• Minimum establishment statistics;

• Local population and trends, geographical area and size;

• Transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that as of 31 January 2025, the latest date for which figures are available, there was a total Garda workforce of almost 18,000 staff.

In the interest of transparency, information in relation to the allocation of Gardaí by division, district, and station is publicly available and can be found at the link below. I can also advise the Deputy that I have received the most recent figures for January 2025 from An Garda Síochána which have been published on the website.

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Please note that these figures are operational at the time of publication and are subject to change.

EU Meetings

Questions (169)

Malcolm Byrne

Question:

169. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice if he will report on the meeting of Justice and Home Affairs ministers from all EU member states, on 5 March 2025. [12720/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

On 5 March 2025 my colleague Minister of State Collins attended a meeting in Brussels of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers from all EU member states.

At this meeting Minister Collins discussed a range of migration and security issues with our EU colleagues, including the protection of undersea cable networks from attack, combatting serious and organised crime and the internal security issues arising from the evolving situations in Syria and Ukraine.

Minister Collins also met with Ministerial representatives from 12 Latin American Countries to discuss ways to further cooperation in fighting drug trafficking, trafficking in arms and trafficking in human beings.

A press release on the Council meeting can be found at this link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/d6e05-minister-of-state-niall-collins-attends-meeting-of-eu-justice-and-home-affairs-ministers/

Online Safety

Questions (170)

Gary Gannon

Question:

170. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice given that one third of the complaints received from Ireland to the Appeals Centre Europe related to harassment and bullying, and one in five concerned hate speech, the steps being taken by him to tackle the increasing incidence of harmful content online; and how he plans to enhance the effectiveness of current content moderation mechanisms. [12862/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

Online safety is a whole of Government issue, with responsibility for relevant measures shared across a number of Departments and agencies.

Coimisiún na Meán has been established further to the provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 and operates under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The Act empowers an Online Safety Commissioner, as part of the wider Coimisiún na Meán, to hold designated online services to account through binding online safety codes. These codes set out obligations in relation to how these services tackle, at a systemic level, the availability of defined categories of harmful online content.

Among other things, the code sets out obligations for video-sharing platforms to restrict certain categories of video and associated content such as: cyberbullying, promotion of eating disorders, self-harm and suicide, and incitement to hatred or violence on a range of grounds including gender, political affiliation, disability, ethnic minority membership, religion and race. It also sets out obligations relating to the operation of age assurance systems to protect children from pornography and extreme or gratuitous violence.

The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which falls under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment deals with user rights to appeal decisions of online platforms. If the Deputy has further queries in this regard he may wish to put a question to that Department in relation to the right to appeal.

Crime Prevention

Questions (171)

Matt Carthy

Question:

171. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice the actions he intends to take to tackle the growing problem of knife crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12804/25]