Written Answers Nos. 1598-1610
1598. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice if, in light of the growing threat posed by individuals engaging in antisocial and dangerous behaviour using stolen mopeds and electric motorbikes, he is actively considering legislative or operational reforms to empower Gardaí with the tools they need to intervene effectively. [20107/25]
View answerGardaí have significant legislative powers to combat antisocial and dangerous use of mopeds and electric motorbikes including under the Road Traffic Act 1961, the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, and the Criminal Law Act 1997.
In June 2023, the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 was signed into law. The Act included provisions that aim to tackle the antisocial use of mopeds and electric bikes through measures such as granting An Garda Síochána new powers of seizure.
Road traffic legislation is enforced as part of the day-to-day duties of members of An Garda Síochána, as well as through a programme of high-visibility road safety and enforcement operations carried out in partnership with other state agencies, in order to make our roads safer for all.
Gardaí also respond to reports of anti-social behaviour and conduct operations on a continuous basis targeting people engaged in anti-social activities using stolen mopeds and electric motorbikes in public places. These initiatives are supported by campaigns across various media and social media platforms to highlight the dangers connected with the use of these vehicles.
In dealing with this dangerous behaviour, An Garda Síochána gathers intelligence at a local level and targets these areas. Such operations focus on the illegal use of mopeds and electric bikes and involve all members as assigned to operational duties.
The Garda National Roads Policing Bureau has procured a number of mobile dynamometers for the roadside enforcement of regulations pertaining to e-bikes, e-mopeds and e-scooters. The equipment and training was identified as being necessary to address An Garda Síochána’s enforcement capability with regard to recent legislation introduced with respect to e-bikes, e-mopeds and e-scooters. The device allows a trained member to measure, at the roadside, the maximum design speed and continuous power output of such vehicles to determine whether such attributes are in compliance with the legislative restrictions on same.
Earlier this month, and as part of Operation Meacan, Gardaí from the Dublin Metropolitan Region South Division conducted a Day of Action targeting electric motorbikes suspected of being used in criminal activity.
The aim of Operation Meacan is to tackle the use of electric motorbikes which are being used for criminal activity including drug dealing, money laundering, transporting firearms, Drug Related Intimidation (DRI) and other serious offences.
During the Day of Action, in an operation led by members attached to the Tallaght Fraud Unit and Tallaght Crime Unit, search warrants were executed at a number of locations in Dublin 10 and Dublin 24.
These searches resulted in the seizure of 39 electric bikes, 15 helmets and 9 batteries, with an estimated value of over €130,000. One bank account, with an operational balance of over €99,000, was frozen under money laundering legislation.
1599. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice if an organisation (details supplied) had signed up to the Garda security protocols introduced by the then-Commissioner in early 2009, prior to an incident. [20109/25]
View answerAs the Deputy will understand, for sound reasons of security it is not the practice to comment on the specific means used by An Garda Síochána to address the security of any individual, group or organisation.
The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 sets out the functions of An Garda Síochána, which include the provision of security services for the State. Under the Act, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business. As Minister, I have no role in these independent, operational functions.
1600. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 309 of 10 April 2025, if he will clarify a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20110/25]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that a decision issued from the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department to the person concerned granting them a permission on Stamp 4 conditions.
If a non-EEA national has an existing valid permission to be in the State, then they do not need to seek an appointment to renew their permission. All renewals are being processed using my Departments online renewal platform, which is available at: inisonline.jahs.ie.
Further information on the renewal process is available at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/how-to-renew-your-current-permission/renewing-your-registration-permission-if-you-live-in-the-republic-of-ireland/.
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: 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 Question process.
1602. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the case of a person (details supplied); whether there are any further options available to the applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20119/25]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the persons referred to are the subject of deportation orders which were signed on 18 March 2025. These orders were issued following the full consideration of their individual circumstances by the International Protection Office.
On 22 April 2025 the persons referred to requested permission to make subsequent applications for International Protection under Section 22 of the International Protection Act 2015, these requests are currently under consideration. The deportation orders issued against the persons referred to remain in place and they are legally obliged to comply with any reporting requirements placed on them by the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
It is open to any individual to make representations under Section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, requesting to have their deportation order revoked if their circumstances have changed new or were not previously presented. It is important to note that an application of this nature does not stop the enforcement of a Deportation Orders.
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: 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 Question process.
1603. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice the current number of judicial vacancies; her proposals to ensure that the judiciary is appropriately staffed in a sustainable manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20132/25]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that the Government endeavours to fill judicial vacancies at the earliest opportunity.
I have been advised that the current number of judicial vacancies is eight and is broken down as follows: one Supreme Court, one High Court, one Circuit Court and five District Court. It is current practice to maintain one open vacancy in the Supreme Court as the court is disposing of its caseload effectively. The arrangement is kept under regular review by the Department and the Chief Justice.
On 1 January 2025, the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2023 came into operation in its entirety. The Act established a new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission to select and recommend persons for all judicial offices in Ireland and in the EU and international courts.
The Judicial Appointments Commission is currently running competitions to fill the vacancies in the District, Circuit and High Court. A competition to fill the five current vacancies, as well as two anticipated vacancies, in the District Court was advertised between 13 March and 10 April, with the selection process ongoing. A competition to fill the High Court vacancy has been advertised with the closing date for applications set for 1 May. A competition to fill the vacancy in the Circuit Court is due to be advertised shortly.
1604. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the Judicial Planning Working Group Report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20133/25]
View answerFollowing the publication in February 2023 of the Report of the Judicial Planning Working Group (JPWG), the previous Government committed to an historic increase in judicial numbers to improve access to justice. The report recommended appointing 44 additional judges in two phases across the Court of Appeal, High, Circuit, and District Courts.
A first phase of 24 additional judges was approved and appointed throughout 2023. Specifically, this comprised eight extra judges for the District Court, eight for the Circuit Court, six for the High Court and two for the Court of Appeal.
Following an impact assessment of the first phase of appointments on court business, Government approval was secured, on 22 October 2024, for the implementation of the recommended second phase of another 20 extra judges (two for the Court of Appeal and six each for the High, Circuit and District Courts).
As outlined in the current Programme for Government, this Government is committed to continue this work in order to meet the growing demands on the justice system and ensure timely access to justice. Later this year, I plan to introduce legislation to increase the number of judges by 20 in line with JPWG recommendations. This will see a further six judges appointed to each the District, Circuit and High Courts and two additional judges in the Court of Appeal.
Work is also progressing on the implementation of the other recommendations of the Working Group’s report. A cross-organisational Implementation Steering Group was established in June 2023 to monitor and coordinate the implementation process. It includes representatives from the Department of Justice, the Courts Service, the Judicial Council and other stakeholders as well as a number of judicial observers. The Steering Group met three times each in 2023 and 2024 and once so far in 2025 with the next meeting scheduled for early May.
Implementation plans are owned and regularly updated by the bodies responsible for the implementation of the report’s recommendations. Progress already made to implement the recommendations was noted by Government in February and October 2024. In addition to the appointment of the first phase of 24 additional judges, some important deliverables so far include the running of a pilot to stagger the long court vacation in the High Court last summer; the publication of long-term strategies for all court jurisdictions by the Court Presidents and the development of proposals to enhance the powers of Court Presidents and the roles of quasi-judicial office holders so that court business can be carried out more efficiently.
1605. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice when he will publish the report of the review of Garda vetting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20161/25]
View answerThe primary objective of the vetting conducted by the Garda National Vetting Bureau is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. This is an important task that must be delivered accurately.
Vetting is performed by An Garda Síochána in accordance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 - 2016.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the current Garda Vetting system is delivered in a standard format to each organisation seeking Garda Vetting and this methodology is in line with good practice internationally.
The Garda Vetting Review Group was tasked with ensuring that any modifications to the vetting process maintain its robustness, efficiency, and effectiveness while improving service to customers.
The Group's primary focus has been to explore ways to strengthen the vetting legislation in a practical and effective manner.
The Group's report on Garda Vetting arrangements is nearing completion, and I look forward to receiving it soon.
1606. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice if he and or his officials have engaged with An Garda Síochána leadership team in respect of Garda trainees commencing training on the first point of the Garda payscale; if he and or his officials have engaged with An Garda Síochána leadership team in respect in the context of a retainment strategy of existing garda officers; the plans if any to further increase the age at which a Garda may serve to should they wish. [20176/25]
View answerI, and officials within my Department, engage regularly with the Garda Commissioner and his management team on matters related to recruitment and retention.
Any further changes to the mandatory retirement age would have to be considered in the context of all uniformed, fast-accrual pension public sector workers and would require consultation with all stakeholders, including the Minister for Public Expenditure and the representative employee bodies.
It should also be noted that there is provision in regulations that allows the Garda Commissioner to recommend that an extension of a Garda member's service beyond the normal retirement age of 62. I have already approved a number of these applications in 2025, as it ensures that the Garda organisation can retain critical skills and knowledge.
The Programme for Government commits to examining a range of further measures to enhance recruitment to An Garda Síochána. These include commitments to enable An Garda Síochána recruit 5,000 members across the next five years and further increasing the garda trainee allowance.
A Recruitment and Training Capacity Group has been established, chaired by a Deputy Secretary General in my Department, to support the achievement of increased recruitment. The Group will keep me informed on actions being taking to maximise future intakes of Garda trainees and to ensure that the 2025 recruitment process can be as effective as possible. The Group will also provide a final report to me by the summer, which I expect will include further measures to support recruitment and retention.
1607. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of former Garda officers that have provided consultancy to his Department and or An Garda Síochána in the past three years to date; the costs associated with those engagements, the nature of same; and if the engagement resulted in a report being produced. [20177/25]
View answerIt has not been possible to collate the information in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly as soon as I have the information requested.
1608. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice if he has met and or engaged with Naomi Long and or the Chief Constable of the police service of Northern Ireland since his appointment; if so, the nature and or subject matter of those engagements. [20178/25]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that there continues to be excellent ongoing cross-border engagement and co-operation with counterparts in Northern Ireland on relevant justice matters. This includes close co-operation between my officials and officials in the Northern Ireland Department of Justice on a range of issues, as well as between An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other agencies with their counterparts.
A reflection of this ongoing co-operation was the all-island organised crime conference that took place in Belfast last month. Minister for Justice Naomi Long, MLA and I were both in attendance, along with the Garda Commissioner and the Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI. Another significant development was the launch of the new Cross Border Policing Strategy last December.
I have had regular contact with the Minister Long since my appointment in January. I had an initial virtual meeting with Minister Long on 4 February and more recently we met for a bilateral meeting in Belfast on 10 March.
Minister Long and I jointly chair meetings of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on Cooperation on Criminal Justice Matters. The IGA covers a number of criminal justice strands of cooperation such as protection of victims, forensic science and youth justice. There are common areas of interest which benefit from this work including combatting transnational crime; managing offenders; and supporting victims; and the IGA provides a valuable structure for ongoing North South engagement in tackling these issues together. The next ministerial meeting under the IGA is scheduled for 28 May. It will be my first such meeting and I look forward to engaging with Minister Long in this format.
1609. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide a breakdown, by Department or office, of the percentage of employees who have disclosed a disability for the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20201/25]
View answerMy Department has been implementing its Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy, since 2022. The strategy provides clear actions and a framework through which we build on a shared ambition to be an organisation that is welcoming and inclusive for all staff, customers and service users.
Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 requires the preparation of a statutory report on the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector. This report is compiled annually by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and, from information provided by all public bodies staffed by civil servants and gives details of the number of people with a disability employed in the Civil Service submitted to the National Disability Authority (NDA). My Department follows the Civil Service Code of Practice on the employment of people with disabilities. My Department’s Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) is available to assist and support staff with disabilities and their line managers by providing information, guidance, and support, as well as assisting in the provision of reasonable accommodations.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the below table. I am pleased to note the considerable progress made by my Department in attracting, retaining and measuring the percentage of employees with a disability. My Department gathers this information on an annual basis by conducting an anonymous and voluntary census of all staff. The table provides the percentage of staff working in the Department of Justice from 2015 to 2023 who, as part of the annual census, identified as having a disability. The data gathered in the 2024 census, is currently being collated and is not yet available.
|
Year |
% Staff who disclosed a disability |
|
2023 |
9.75% |
|
2022 |
8.60% |
|
2021 |
8.60% |
|
2020 |
5.10% |
|
2019 |
5.40% |
|
2018 |
5.90% |
|
2017 |
5.40% |
|
2016 |
5.40% |
|
2015 |
4.97% |
1610. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice the names of projects within Limerick Garda division that received funding under Community Safety Innovation Fund in 2024; and he amount received per project, in tabular form. [20251/25]
View answerThe Community Safety Innovation Fund was launched in 2021 to reinvest proceeds of crime returned to the exchequer by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) back into communities, in order to fund innovative local projects aimed at building stronger, safer communities. The Fund has since been renamed the Community Safety Fund (CSF).
The CSF plays a vital role in directing the proceeds of crime into community projects designed to enhance safety and security. Additionally, it reflects and highlights the successes of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in seizing the proceeds from criminal activity. The annual fund allows for the proceeds of crime to be directed into local projects, to support and enhance community safety.
Investing this money back into the community is a tangible way of showing that there can be a direct link between the activities of law enforcement and building stronger, safer communities. The CSF encourages and supports the development of ways in which to improve community safety from those people who best understand the needs in their locality.
The 2025 Fund, which is currently open for applications, has an increased budget of €4 million, in line with commitments in the Programme for Government to increase the Fund.
I am pleased to provide for the Deputy the below information, in tabular form, containing the names of projects within Limerick Garda Division that received funding under the Community Safety Fund in 2024 and the amount received per project.
|
2024 Applicant and Project Name |
Amount received |
|
Limerick City and Council - The Limerick Community Safety Warden Scheme |
€150,000 |
|
HUNT MUSEUM - “Safe Haven, Cultivation” |
€112,000 |
|
The Irish Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Children – Nationwide Non-violent Resistance Supportive Programme |
€68,915 |
|
West Limerick Resources, Rathkeale Together Project - The Hideout Drop In Centre |
€44,500 |
