Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 9 September 2024
1187. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of weapons seized by Gardaí in 2023 and to date in 2024; and the number of those weapons that were destroyed or disposed of by Gardaí in each of the years in question. [35495/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes all operational policing matters. As Minister for Justice, I have no role in these independent functions.
However, to be of assistance I sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána and have been advised that there is no structured object type/sub types for offensive weapons such as ‘knuckledusters’ etc on PULSE. As a result, An Garda Síochána cannot provide a reliable count for these offensive weapons.
I am further advised that firearms seizure statistics are readily available from An Garda Síochána’s annual reports, which report annual counts of firearms which were received at the Ballistics and Forensic Investigation Section for examination and classification. Years prior to 2022 are available from the Garda website. Data relating to 2022 and 2023 is not currently published.
To be of additional assistance to the Deputy, the below information supplied by the Garda authorities shows the number of knives seized by Garda Division for the period 2018 to 2023 and to 30 June 2024. Information supplied is operational and subject to change.
|
Region/Division |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
* 2024 |
|
Dublin Region |
900 |
963 |
1005 |
812 |
913 |
1021 |
538 |
|
D.M.R. Eastern |
66 |
77 |
76 |
51 |
55 |
46 |
21 |
|
D.M.R. North Central |
189 |
185 |
203 |
188 |
201 |
286 |
172 |
|
D.M.R. Northern |
185 |
170 |
151 |
126 |
211 |
186 |
91 |
|
D.M.R. South Central |
195 |
208 |
257 |
187 |
204 |
238 |
127 |
|
D.M.R. Southern |
96 |
129 |
134 |
93 |
83 |
113 |
43 |
|
D.M.R. Western |
169 |
194 |
184 |
167 |
159 |
152 |
84 |
|
Eastern Region |
371 |
354 |
425 |
335 |
430 |
402 |
156 |
|
Kildare Div |
64 |
52 |
73 |
45 |
57 |
60 |
31 |
|
Laois/Offaly |
71 |
47 |
59 |
71 |
86 |
51 |
17 |
|
Meath/Westmeath |
72 |
98 |
92 |
60 |
72 |
89 |
37 |
|
Waterford/Kilkenny/Carlow |
99 |
85 |
117 |
100 |
110 |
129 |
41 |
|
Wexford/Wicklow |
65 |
72 |
84 |
59 |
105 |
73 |
30 |
|
North Western Region |
299 |
450 |
386 |
291 |
438 |
367 |
144 |
|
Donegal |
28 |
43 |
46 |
40 |
42 |
55 |
17 |
|
Galway Div |
49 |
89 |
84 |
70 |
105 |
93 |
34 |
|
Louth/Cavan/Monaghan |
117 |
163 |
140 |
106 |
211 |
135 |
52 |
|
Mayo/Roscommon/Longford |
63 |
117 |
65 |
47 |
61 |
54 |
20 |
|
Sligo/Leitrim |
42 |
38 |
51 |
28 |
19 |
30 |
21 |
|
Southern Region |
365 |
379 |
444 |
397 |
382 |
402 |
216 |
|
Clare/Tipperary |
72 |
75 |
96 |
71 |
61 |
98 |
36 |
|
Cork City |
101 |
121 |
172 |
118 |
129 |
100 |
62 |
|
Cork North |
41 |
56 |
47 |
44 |
58 |
38 |
22 |
|
Cork West |
26 |
16 |
15 |
35 |
19 |
14 |
10 |
|
Kerry |
39 |
37 |
28 |
35 |
39 |
39 |
22 |
|
Limerick |
86 |
74 |
86 |
94 |
76 |
113 |
64 |
|
National |
1935 |
2146 |
2260 |
1835 |
2163 |
2192 |
1054 |
* 2024 figure is for the period 1 January to 30 June, the latest date for when figures are available.
An Garda Síochána do not have reporting available on the current status of those seized objects.
