Written Answers Nos. 428-447
430. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the proposals he has to increase resources for community Garda policing, which is a very highly regarded policing measure in communities throughout the country; if consideration will be given to the provision of additional resources for community policing to an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29341/26]
View answerThis Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with Budget 2026 providing unprecedented funding of €2.74 billion to support recruitment and staffing.
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. While I regularly engage with the Commissioner, I cannot direct him on the allocation of Gardaí as this matter is reserved to him by law.
Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána and is something that all Garda members have a role in.
A member of An Garda Síochána is deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that person is allocated to a Community Policing Team (CPT), and is responsible and accountable for applying a problem–solving approach to appropriate crime and policing quality-of-life issues in a specified geographic area through community partnership and engagement. Examples of this engagement can include working with Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert or local business fora.
Recruitment into An Garda Síochána is gathering real momentum. I anticipate that as the number of Gardaí rises Garda management will have greater resources at their disposal to assign members to duties such as community policing.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that, as of 28 February 2026, there were 25 Community Gardaí allocated to Louth/Cavan/Monaghan Division. Three of these Community Gardaí are allocated to Cavan Station, which represents a 200% increase in allocation since 2020.
An Garda Síochána publishes information in relation to the allocation of Gardaí including the allocation of Community Gardaí by Division.
Information for 2026 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-2026/garda-strength-breakdown-2026.html
Information for previous years 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/december-2025.html
431. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prosecutions and convictions secured under the offence of stalking introduced under the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023, since its commencement in November 2023, broken down by year; the number of stalking-related incidents recorded by An Garda Síochána over the same period, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29347/26]
View answer433. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any review has been undertaken, or is planned, into the effectiveness of the stalking legislation introduced in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29349/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 433 together.
The Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (the “2023 Act”) completed its passage through the Oireachtas and was signed into law by the President on 19 July 2023.
The 2023 Act contains several important provisions with regard to stalking. These include:
• A new stalking offence, defined in terms of causing either a fear of violence or serious alarm and distress that has a substantial impact on a person’s day-to-day activities.
• The existing harassment offence in section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 has been widened to include any persistent conduct that seriously interferes with a person’s peace and privacy or causes alarm, distress, or harm.
• Expanded protections for victims in both the criminal and civil processes, including restrictions on the publication of the victim’s identity, restrictions on cross-examination in person by the accused, the ability to give evidence via video-link, or to give evidence from behind a screen.
• The introduction of a new system of civil orders designed to prevent stalking and protect victims.
Both the harassment and stalking offences, and the new civil order system, use an open definition of the kinds of conduct that can constitute the offence. While an illustrative list of behaviours is included, the offence is flexible enough to cover any form of conduct.
A post-enactment report of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 is at the preliminary stage, with an anticipated completion date of end Quarter 3, 2026. The report will include a review of the provisions relating to stalking.
It should be noted with regard to prosecutions, that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decides whether or not someone should be prosecuted, and for what crime. The Minister has no role in the operations, functions, oversight or governance of the Office of the DPP and is unable to provide any information or statistics relating to its work as a result.
Similarly, data surrounding conviction numbers is a matter for the courts. The management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and the Constitution. The Department does not record data relating to sentencing and/or convictions.
The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
To be of assistance, I have contacted the Courts Service who have supplied the following data, a report on the number of orders, the number of offences and the number of persons where convictions have been imposed in the District Court/District Court Appeals for the period 1 November 2023 to 28 February 2026 under Section 10(2) and (9) of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 (as substituted by Section 23 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023), along with the below qualifiers.
Note 1: The Courts Service can only provide data in relation to where offence codes provided on the system were used by prosecutors. Prosecutors may have used uncoded free text offences and any such offences would not be included in the data provided. The offence code is only available since December 2024.
Note 2: This offence can be sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court At this time, the system in use by the Courts Service in the Circuit Courts cannot produce reports for specific offences.
|
Year |
No of Orders |
No of Offences |
No of Persons |
|
01 Nov 2023- 31 Dec 2023 (See Note 1 above) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
01 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024 (See Note 1 above) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
01 Jan 2026 - 28 Feb 2026 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
2 |
2 |
1 |
432. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Garda members who have received specific training in relation to investigating stalking offences, including training on victim engagement and trauma-informed approaches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29348/26]
View answerThe Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which includes the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I have no role such matters.
To be of assistance, I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, however it has not been made available to me on time.
I will write to the Deputy directly once this information is to hand.
434. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which he evaluates the success of the zero tolerance strategy. [29400/26]
View answerThe evaluation of strategies and plans in relation to domestic, sexual or gender-based violence is one of the functions of Cuan under the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Act 2023. As the matter raised by the Deputy relates to a statutory function of Cuan, I have referred the question to the Agency for direct response to the Deputy.
I would like to reassure the Deputy that the Government and I are fully committed to the implementation of the Zero Tolerance Strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and to ensuring that its impact is effectively measured and evaluated over time.
The Strategy is being delivered on a whole of Government basis, with oversight structures in place to monitor progress. As the Deputy will be aware, I recently published the progress report on the implementation of the Third National Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence for 2025. This is the third progress report developed by Cuan, but the first to cover a full year. The report highlights developments across key priority areas, including improving access to justice, advancing the National Emergency Domestic Violence Accommodation Plan, and progressing legislative reform for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV).
Following significant development work by Cuan, a more robust monitoring framework is now in place. This framework provides the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs with the necessary depth of information and visibility to oversee the implementation of the Zero Tolerance strategy effectively. With 22 government partners responsible for delivery, these enhanced insights ensure the accurate assessment of progress, as well as the ability to maintain the pace and scale required to meet national commitments.
435. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when an application (details supplied) will be decided on; and if no timeframe is available, the average processing times for such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29404/26]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that my Department are currently processing such applications received from November 2025. The application cited was received in December 2025.
To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in strict chronological order that they are received. My Department endeavour to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the number of applications on hand, individual circumstances, the complexity of an application and whether or not further information is required.
If the applicant has any queries concerning their application, it is open to them to contact the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division, using the Department’s Customer Service Portal. The Customer Service Portal can be accessed at the following link: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/
As an Oireachtas member, you can 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.
436. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to review the current court fees regime, in light of concerns that High Court stamp fees may impede access to justice for individuals seeking to vindicate fundamental rights in areas such as housing, social-welfare entitlements, disability rights, education access, and equality or discrimination claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29412/26]
View answer441. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No.192 of 21 January 2026, if the review referenced has been completed; whether members of the public can make submissions to the review if it is still ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29465/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 436 and 441 together.
Matters in regard to court fees are set by Statutory Instrument made by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
The court fee structures currently in place are designed to be proportionate and balanced to ensure continued access to justice, while supporting appropriate contribution to the efficient running of the court system overall.
The current fees system reflects the need to ensure the interests of applicants, as well as considering the public interest in the smooth operation of the court system. This balance of interests, as well as applicable administrative considerations, is evident in the extensive range of existing exemptions from court fees already in place in regard to specific categories of proceedings and by some State bodies.
Matters arising in relation to court fees are kept under consideration by my Department, as appropriate. I can confirm that S.I. No. 492/2014 (Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court (Fees) Order 2014) is currently under review with a view to revising a number of its provisions to resolve an issue which has arisen as a result of a recent High Court judgement regarding the exemption for habeas corpus actions and to provide for an exemption for Qualified Entities under the Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Act 2023. The review is addressing a limited number of technical and legal issues and therefore consultation focused on key stakeholders.
It should also be noted that in accordance with and subject to Part 11 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, parties who are entirely successful in civil proceedings are entitled to their costs.
437. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the rate of recidivism in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29413/26]
View answerThis Government remains focused on reducing re-offending, including by diverting people, where appropriate, from the criminal justice system and ensuring the underlying causes of offending behaviour are addressed.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) regularly publishes detailed statistical information on both prison and probation re-offending rates. The latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) study of one and three year prison reoffending rates, can be found in the Prison Re-offending Statistics 2022 report published on www.cso.ie in September 2025. The prison re-offending statistics measure the level of recorded re-offending by offenders who received a custodial sentence following their release from prison. One-year prison re-offending rates for individuals released in 2022 indicate that 44% re-offended within a year after being released from custody, a rise of 2%, with the highest reoffending category being people convicted of public order offences or theft. Overall, there was a reduction in one-year prison re-offending of 6% since 2012.
Probation Reoffending Statistics for 2021, which were published in February 2026, showed that just under one-quarter (24%) of offenders who received a probation order in 2021 re-offended within a year, a fall of 3% when compared with the equivalent rate for 2020 (27%). This is the lowest re-offending rate measured since 2008, when the first estimates of probation re-offending were calculated.
The Prison Service and my Department continue to focus on maximising opportunities for rehabilitation in order to reduce reoffending. A range of policies have been developed to achieve this, including the Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform, which includes increasing the use of alternatives to custodial sanctions where appropriate, and the recommendations of the High-Level Taskforce to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those who come into contact with the criminal justice sector.
Budget 2026 provides a 13% increase in funding for the Probation Service, allowing for the recruitment of 100 additional staff. This additional funding will also be used to increase the use of supervised community sanctions in the criminal courts, expand restorative justice services, and expand supervised temporary release schemes nationally.
Strategies which are being employed to reduce recidivism rates and ensure successful reintegration of prisoners into society include the JARC (Joint Agency Response to Crime) and Y-JARC (Youth-Joint Agency Response to Crime), both multi agency initiatives involving the Probation Service and An Garda Síochána for the purposes of the joint case management of prolific offenders.
438. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will exercise his power under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 to issue a specific directive to the Garda Commissioner to prioritise high-visibility, 24-hour patrols in Saggart Village, County Dublin, as an interim measure until the promised Citywest Garda station is operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29434/26]
View answerThe Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, including the allocation and deployment of Garda resources. Decisions regarding patrols, including the deployment of high-visibility or 24-hour patrols, are operational matters for the Commissioner and local Garda management.
I engage regularly with the Commissioner to ensure our Gardaí have the resources they need. The Garda Vote in Budget 2026 includes unprecedented funding of €2.74 billion which will support the continued recruitment of Garda personnel. This allocation demonstrates the Government’s commitment to ensuring An Garda Síochána has provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out vital policing work.
I am advised that the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) West Division, which includes Saggart and the wider Citywest area, has 742 Garda members assigned to it. The Division's resources are kept under ongoing review having regard to crime trends, population growth and operational demands.
High-visibility patrols are a core element of community policing and form part of Garda operations, including targeted initiatives aimed at deterring crime and supporting community safety. Local Garda management engages with community stakeholders and public representatives in identifying policing priorities within the area.
As part of those engagements and in other fora, community members and elected representatives have raised suggestions about local services. These suggestions include the potential development of a new Garda Station in Saggart as part of the Citywest campus that is now in State ownership. This and other suggestions will be considered in the context of the Government's commitment to listening to local people and leaders and helping to support the delivery of services in the area.
I will continue to engage with him regarding the policing needs of communities.
442. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the impact the outsourcing of the AVATS application system has had on individuals booking short stay 'C' visas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29508/26]
View answerI understand that the Deputy has clarified that she is referring to the use of VFS Global by my Department.
I can advise the Deputy that in recent years my Department has taken a number of steps to upgrade the visa processing system and improve the service offered to individuals applying for Irish visas. This has included availing of services provided by VFS Global at their Visa Application Centres (VACs). VFS Global provides administrative and logistical support services. It does not have any role in the decision-making process, which is the sole remit of officials from my Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in some parts of the world.
My Department makes no payments to VFS Global for their services. When a person applies for an Irish visa they pay a service fee to VFS Global directly for their services.
A number of services are provided for the fee charged by VFS, including the initial administration of applications and transmitting documents between customers and the Visa Office. Additionally, VFS Global offers a number of optional services, the fees for which are detailed on their website, at the following address: visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/irl/additional-services
The use of VFS Global’s services provides greater accessibility to customers across a wider geographical area, particularly in large countries or countries where Ireland does not have consular representation. The use of VFS Global’s centres reduces courier and travel costs for customers whose nearest Irish Visa Office or Embassy could be located thousands of kilometres away.
I can advise the Deputy the fees applied by VFS Global are in addition to the application fees for Irish visas. The fees for Irish visas are, €60 for an single entry visas, €100 for a multi entry visas and €25 for a transit visa. Further information regarding Irish visa fees and exemptions are available at the following address: www.irishimmigration.ie/preclearance-and-entry-visas-fees/
443. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the number of prosecutions in the past five years specifically related to sulky racing and related offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29523/26]
View answerSulky racing and related issues are primarily animal welfare-related. Legislation concerning animal welfare and its implementation fall within the remit of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
With regard to any criminal behaviour related to sulky racing, including road traffic and safety violations, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the direction and control of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing matters, which incorporates road traffic enforcement.
In this regard, all road users are subject to road traffic legislation and I would encourage anyone who has knowledge of a criminal act, or believes that a criminal act may have occurred, to contact their local/nearest Garda station to report this.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there is no structured crime / offence category or arrest reason specific to sulky racing on the PULSE system.
Prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who is independent in the performance of her functions. As such the DPP are not a body under my remit and I have no role in the operations, functions, oversight or governance of the Office of the Director.
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 given the separation of powers in the Constitution.
As Minister, I have no role in these matters. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
444. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No.119 of 28 January 2026, if all Gardaí now have full access to the same data which has been very beneficial in helping An Garda Síochána to detect more disqualified drivers and establishing if drivers hold a learner permit or full driving licence (details supplied); the way in which this system works with regard to the many drivers convicted in court on penalty point offences and/or were disqualified in court but no record of their driver number was recorded to apply the points to a licence/permit or to allocate a disqualification to a driver's record file. [29530/26]
View answer446. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No.119 of 28 January 2026, if all Gardai now have full access to the same data which has been very beneficial in helping An Garda Síochána to detect more disqualified drivers and establishing if drivers hold a learner permit or full driving licence; how this system works with regard to the many drivers convicted in court on penalty point offences and or were disqualified in court but no record of their driver number was recorded to apply the points to a licence/ permit or to allocate a disqualification to a driver's record file. [29550/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 446 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that after the success of the pilot, all members of An Garda Síochána, through their mobility devices, have access to National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) data including full licence/learner permit details, particulars of disqualifications and current penalty points.
Files containing vehicle and driving licence data from the NVDF transfer to An Garda Síochána on a nightly basis. This means that the NVDF data available to An Garda Síochána for enforcement purposes is effectively real time and up to date to within 24 hours.
The NVDF is maintained by the Department of Transport and not An Garda Síochána. As a result I am unable to provide information related to the administration of the NVDF. Additionally it should be noted that the Courts are independent in their functions.
445. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to increase the monetary jurisdiction of the small claims procedure, currently set at €2,000 and unchanged since 2013; whether a review of the limit is under way or planned within his Department; the timeline for any proposed revision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29543/26]
View answerManagement of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998. As Minister, I have no role in these functions.
Statutory Instrument No. 519 of 2009, District Court (Small Claims) Rules 2009, sets out the upper ceiling of €2,000 for small claims. The monetary limit for small claims is fixed by Rules of Court. Rules of Court are made by the Rules Committee, with the concurrence of the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
Regulation (EU) 2015/2421 of the European Parliament and of the Council provides that a claim with a value not exceeding €5,000 can be made under the European Small Claims Procedure. This regulation has applied since 14 July 2017 and applies to cross-border cases only.
Under the ‘A modern Courts, Legal and Coronial System’ heading in the Programme for Government, the government has committed to substantially increase the limit of the small claims court procedure, and work is ongoing in this regard.
I am informed by the Courts Service that the civil law workstream of the Courts Service Modernisation Programme will be looking at the broader small claims area over the next two years. When this work is commenced, engagement will take place with a wide range of stakeholders and court users to consider the issues arising.
447. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of cases dealt with by the Irish Central Authority within his Department, on a year-on-year basis over the past five years, in relation to international parental child abduction under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction 1980; the number of those cases that remain active; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29599/26]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, there are two distinct scenarios that can apply in International Child Abduction cases. The first is where a child or children have been removed from this jurisdiction to a country that is a cooperating partner under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The second is where children have been removed from this jurisdiction to a country that is not a party to that Convention.
In the first scenario, the Irish Central Authority for International Child Abduction (Central Authority) located within my Department, can assist in return and access cases. In the second scenario, it is important to understand those cases cannot be assisted by the Central Authority. In those cases, supports are available for persons in a country not party to the Hague Convention, by contacting the Consular Services Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Please see below the statistics for the past five years, of new cases received for each year in relation to International Parental Child Abduction under the Hague Convention and the number of active cases currently in the Central Authority Unit as of 21 April. These figures do not include the other activities of the Unit, e.g. requests for access, social reports and change of jurisdiction.
|
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
*2026 |
|
Incoming Cases |
27 |
25 |
31 |
38 |
26 |
23 |
|
Outgoing Cases |
40 |
29 |
32 |
43 |
41 |
45 |
*as of 21 April 2026
