Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
565. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason ethnicity and nationality are not compulsorily recorded on the PULSE system, as in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73590/25]
View answerUnder the Policing, Security, and Community Safety Act 2024 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the management of the PULSE system.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that when information on a person's nationality is known, it is generally recorded as part of their PULSE record. I am further informed that An Garda Síochána is aligned with the practice of the Central Statistical Office of not publishing or compiling crime statistics based on nationality, ethnicity or citizenship.
As the Deputy will be aware the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is Ireland's national statistical agency. The CSO is not a body under my aegis as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, and I have no role in the CSO's operations, functions, oversight or governance.
The CSO, as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases in relation to various crime statistics.
Further information is available on their website at the following link:
www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-rqcs/reviewofthequalityofrecordedcrimestatistics2023/userneedsforrecordedcrimestatistics/
I should add that my Department is currently finalising proposals for the introduction of a criminal justice unique identifier, based on the PPSN. This will improve administrative efficiency in the criminal justice system and will provide better data for statistical analysis and policy making.
