Malcolm Byrne
Question:326. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures and resources in place to combat people trafficking into Ireland. [72616/25]
View answerImmigration Policy
Questions (326)
Written answers
Human trafficking is a serious criminal offence and a grave violation of fundamental human rights. Combating this crime and supporting victims is a priority for Government and is addressed through a combination of policy coordination, operational measures, and funding across a number of Departments and agencies. Ireland operates a National Referral Mechanism for victims of human trafficking, which provides the framework for the identification of victims and their referral to appropriate supports. Work is underway to review and strengthen these arrangements in order to improve victim identification, inter-agency coordination, and access to supports.
A range of measures are in place to combat human trafficking and support victims. The Third National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking 2023–2027, provides a whole of government framework to prevent trafficking, protect victims, prosecute offenders, and strengthen coordination across the State.
Operational measures include criminal investigations by An Garda Síochána, specialist training for frontline staff, and targeted awareness-raising delivered in partnership with non-governmental organisations. Ongoing engagement with sectors such as hospitality, transport and security form a key part of this response. Resources to support these measures are provided through a combination of funding streams, including the Department’s Victims of Crime Fund, which supports organisations delivering services to victims of human trafficking alongside other victim cohorts to help improve their experience of the criminal justice system. Dedicated accommodation for female victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation has also been provided under the National Action Plan.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (327)
Sorca Clarke
Question:327. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for a breakdown of Garda roads policing unit staffing levels in Longford-Westmeath. [72649/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which includes the distribution and stationing of Garda personnel throughout the State. The Commissioner is independent in his functions under Section 34 of the Act and, as Minister, I am unable to direct the deployment of Garda members.
In the interest of transparency, An Garda Síochána publishes information in relation to the allocation of Gardaí nationally. This includes a breakdown of Gardaí assigned to the roads policing unit nationwide. This can be found at the following link:
www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/human-resources-and-people-development/garda-hr-directorate/garda-strength-breakdown-2025/
The Deputy should select the most recently available date and then select the file titled ‘Roads policing by division to the most recent date" to access a breakdown of Garda members.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (328)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:328. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration given that all representatives for the new Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs) have been identified for Dublin South Central, if he can sign off the on agreed representatives and allow the LCSP meet next week; and if he will provide a full update on the establishment of LCSPs in Dublin. [72691/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which I commenced on 2 April last, provides for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSP) within each local authority area.
The regulations for these Safety Partnerships came into operation on Monday 30 June, and a total of 36 Partnerships are in the process of being established in local authority areas across the country.
A number of administrative steps need to be undertaken to facilitate the establishment of a Safety Partnership in a given area, including nomination of proposed members by local authorities and statutory bodies, and the appointment of all members by myself as Minister.
The National Office for Community Safety, an office of my Department, is providing support to local authorities and in particular to Local Community Safety Partnership teams, in the process of establishing each Safety Partnership in their area.
I have appointed members to 32 Local Community Safety Partnerships and I expect to be making further appointments in the near future.
On 11 December 2025, I appointed members to all five Dublin City LCSPs including Dublin South Central. On that date I also appointed members to Fingal North, Fingal West, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Safety Partnerships.
The convening of LCSP meetings is a matter determined at local level. That being said, I am given to understand that a number of induction meetings are being held by Dublin City Council over the course of this week with inaugural meetings due to be held in the new year.
Question No. 329 answered with Question No. 322.
Question No. 330 answered with Question No. 322.
Citizenship Applications
Questions (331)
Danny Healy-Rae
Question:331. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on a matter regarding citizenship (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72732/25]
View answerWritten answers
I understand that the Deputy has been in contact with my Department's Immigration Oireachtas service regarding the persons cited and that the matter has been addressed.
Applicants can usually expect to receive their certificate within a month of the date of the ceremony.
Departmental Policies
Questions (332)
Emer Currie
Question:332. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the Government's implementation plan for the five key recommendations contained in the 2025 national cyber risk assessment; and, in particular, to detail what new investments are planned to strengthen national cyber resilience, including funding for skills, infrastructure, and indigenous cybersecurity capability. [72745/25]
View answerWritten answers
The 2025 National Cyber Risk Assessment (NCRA), published by my Department’s National Cyber Security Centre on 2 December will be the foundation of Ireland's third National Cyber Security Strategy.
Ireland’s second National Cyber Security Strategy sets out 20 collaborative measures with the aim of meeting a range of objectives, including to improve the ability of the State to respond to and manage cyber security incidents and to improve the resilience and security of public sector IT systems to better protect data and services. A Mid-Term Review of the Strategy published in May 2023 saw the inclusion of a further 18 new measures to be met within its lifetime. I expect to be in a position to publish the End-of-Strategy report shortly.
Preparations for a new third National Cyber Security Strategy are underway in my Department. This strategy will also incorporate obligations arising from the revised EU Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2 Directive) alongside other national commitments relating to cyber security such as those set out in the Programme for Government and the National Development Plan.
A number of recommendations in the 2025 NCRA reflect measures which I expected to feature in the new Strategy including: the establishment of a national cyber security research centre of excellence, use of the cyber fundamentals framework to embed security by design and risk management practices in the State to secure critical supply chains and the implementation of National Cyber Security Bill, which will embed a robust framework of cyber security and resilience across 18 sectors of criticality in the State.
A public consultation process will be launched soon to gather input from citizens, academia, industry, and other key stakeholders. These submissions will be reviewed and taken into consideration throughout the process of formulating priorities and specific measurable goals for the third Strategy.
Officials in my Department are currently engaged with the National Cyber Security Centre as well as other relevant Government Departments and agencies including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Defence on developing this strategy.
Care will be taken throughout the strategy development process to ensure appropriate alignment with other relevant strategies including the Maritime Security Strategy and the Digital and AI Strategy.
I expect to be in a position to bring the third National Cyber Security Strategy to Government in early 2026, after which it will be published.
Question No. 333 answered with Question No. 322.
Question No. 334 answered with Question No. 322.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (335)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:335. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Gardaí, by rank attached to the Garda dog unit as of 10 December 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72838/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Garda Dog Unit is based at Kilmainham Garda Station, in the Dublin Metropolitan Region and has a national remit. It operates under the direction and control of Assistant Commissioner, Organised and Serious Crime and the operational strategic control of Detective Chief Superintendent, Operational Support Services.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of September 2025, the latest date for which figures were available from An Garda Síochána, there is one Sergeant and nine Gardaí attached to the Garda Dog Unit.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (336)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:336. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Gardaí, by rank attached to the Garda mounted unit as of 10 December 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72839/25]
View answerWritten answers
I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy again once it is to hand.
Departmental Data
Questions (337)
Emer Currie
Question:337. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of court notifications received by the District Court in each of the years since 2022, to date in 2025, of drivers convicted of penalty point offences; the number of penalty points attached to each conviction; the number of notifications that included a valid driver number; the number of convictions that could not be matched to the driver to apply the penalty points to their driving licence record on the NVDF; and the number whereby a separate record file had to be created by his Department in order to keep a record of unmatched drivers with penalty point offences. [72842/25]
View answerWritten answers
Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and the Constitution.
The collation of data on convictions is a function of the courts. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie
I understand that the Courts Service provided the relevant data directly to the Deputy, on 21 November 2025, regarding the number of drivers convicted in court for penalty point offences, by year and by District Court, since 2022, in response to PQ No. 807 of 18 November 2025.
Responsibility for the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) database, which serves as the official record for driving licence, penalty point, and disqualification information, falls under the responsibility of my colleague, Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien TD.
My Department has no responsibility for, or information in relation to the NVDF database, and therefore cannot report on records relating to this database.
However, the Deputy may wish to note that An Garda Síochána have access to the NVDF and are able to detect disqualified drivers at the roadside using this data.
Question No. 338 answered with Question No. 322.
Question No. 339 answered with Question No. 322.
Question No. 340 answered with Question No. 322.
Question No. 341 answered with Question No. 322.
Immigration Support Services
Questions (342)
Carol Nolan
Question:342. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the companies involved in the ownership and development of a site (details supplied) have been in contact with his Department regarding the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers or others under IPAS or temporary protection or any other form of State directed or State assisted accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73083/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Department has not received an offer of accommodation at this location, and is not currently examining this property for use as accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine or seeking international protection.
Departmental Inquiries
Questions (343)
Catherine Ardagh
Question:343. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if members of the Oireachtas are automatically members of community safety partnership; if not, the arrangements which have been made to allow Members of the Oireachtas participate in community safety partnerships. [73198/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which I commenced on Wednesday 2 April 2025, provides for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSP) within each local authority area.
The regulations for these Safety Partnerships came into operation on Monday 30 June, and 36 Partnerships are in the process of being established in local authority areas across the country. I have appointed members to 32 Local Community Safety Partnerships and I expect to be making further appointments in the near future.
I recognise the importance of participation by elected representatives and the need to ensure they remain central to the new partnerships. All elected representatives will have opportunities to engage with their Safety Partnership, including a closed meeting for members of the Oireachtas and local authority to meet with members of the Safety Partnership.
Seven local authority members will be nominated to their Local Community Safety Partnerships from amongst, and by, their membership and will have a crucial role to play in ensuring the voice of their constituents is represented. This ensures that local democratic input remains a core element of the new arrangements, while also allowing for wider community representation and expertise.
Appointments to Local Community Safety Partnerships are made with regard to the overall balance of representation and the need to ensure that the partnerships remain locally grounded, community-driven and supported by members with relevant expertise. The composition of each Safety Partnership aims to strike a fair balance between elected representatives, community voices, and key agencies whose cooperation is essential to improving safety outcomes.
The National Office for Community Safety, an office of my Department, is providing support to local authorities and in particular to Local Community Safety Partnership teams, in the process of establishing each Safety Partnership in their area.
Data Protection
Questions (344)
Liam Quaide
Question:344. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason Section 30 of the Data Protection Act 2018 has yet to be commenced; the timeline for its commencement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73238/25]
View answerWritten answers
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU wide instrument and Member States, including Ireland, cannot deviate from its provisions. Commencement of section 30 of the Data Protection Act 2018 has been raised previously by way of parliamentary question and the position, as outlined at that time, remains the same. Should section 30 be commenced, Ireland could face the serious risk of infringement proceedings and the potential for significant penalties against the State.
Processing of personal data for marketing and profiling purposes takes place under Article 6(1)(f) (“legitimate interests” ground) of the GDPR, with the case law of the European Court of Justice underlining the importance of free movement of personal data and establishing that Member States are not permitted to impose additional conditions that would have the effect of amending the scope of any of the grounds now set out in Article 6.1 of the GDPR. The Office of the Attorney General has also previously advised my Department that section 30 of the 2018 Act appears to go beyond the margin of discretion afforded to Member States in giving further effect to the GDPR and would conflict with Article 6(1)(f), read alongside Recital (47).
Additionally, the European Commission has confirmed that processing of personal data for direct marketing purposes may be regarded as being carried out for a legitimate interest and that Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR does not make the processing of personal data of a child for the purposes of direct marketing unlawful. The EU Commission also indicated that subject to Article 22 (automated decision-making), processing of personal data of a child for the purposes of profiling is not generally prohibited, albeit the processing must take into account that children merit specific protection as clarified in recital (38). Moreover, the Commission has indicated that the term "micro-targeting", as referenced in Section 30 of the Act, is not mentioned in the GDPR, as such its scope remains uncertain and undefined.
Put simply, it is not an option for a Member State to unilaterally prohibit a category of processing activities which might otherwise be lawful under Article 6(1)(f). The commencement of section 30 could, therefore, give rise to a substantial risk of infringement proceedings against the State pursuant to Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Notwithstanding the above-mentioned issues with section 30 of the Data Protection Act 2018, the protection of minors is a priority for the Data Protection Commission (DPC). For example, in early December 2025, the DPC launched a nationwide awareness campaign to highlight the potential risks and consequences of sharing of personal information, photos and videos by parents of their children online.
Furthermore, apart from this apparent conflict with the GDPR, the Office of the Attorney General has advised that section 30 gives rise to difficulties under Article 38.1 of the Constitution and under Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 38.1 provides that no person shall be tried on any criminal charge save in due course of law. For a domestic offence provision to comply with Article 38.1, it must be clear, precise and foreseeable in its application. It is not clear under section 30 what might constitute the processing of personal data of a child for the purposes of micro-targeting. It is also a requirement under Article 7 of the Convention that offence provisions must be sufficiently clear and precise to enable individuals to ascertain which conduct constitutes a criminal offence and to foresee the consequences of engaging in such conduct.
Finally, since the last parliamentary question on this matter, the Digital Services Act (DSA) has come into force across the EU. The DSA is a key EU Regulation designed to regulate and harmonise how digital and online platforms operate and engage with users. The DSA contains many features dedicated to the protection of minors. These include obligations to implement privacy by design, provide default high security settings for minors, a prohibition on profiling minors for targeted ads and requirements around age warnings and a possibility for the implementation of age verification measures.
Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland's designated Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) under the DSA and is responsible for overseeing and enforcing DSA rules for online platforms established in Ireland. Coimisiún na Meán has also published guidelines on the protection of minors under the DSA: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/commission-publishes-guidelines-protection-minors.