Written Answers Nos. 451-472
451. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the working group to review qualifications for engineering roles in the local Government sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71185/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra452. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the working group to review qualifications for engineering roles in the local Government sector will include clerks of works/building inspectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71186/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 451 and 452 together.
Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the Minister with the power to declare qualifications of such classes and descriptions as he or she thinks fit for a specified employment under a local authority or for such of the employments as belong to a specified class, description or grade. A Working Group was established by my Department in April 2024 to undertake a review of the existing suite of engineering qualifications in the local government sector and to propose changes to those qualifications where necessary.
Following the conclusion of the work undertaken by the Working Group which recommended a number of changes and a consultation process with the relevant public sector unions about the proposed changes, revised qualifications for engineering posts were declared on 25 July 2025 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/qualifications-for-local-authority-employees/
The revised qualifications will improve the ability of the sector to attract and retain high quality candidates with appropriate engineering qualifications, while also at the same time providing flexibility and consistency across the sector. Further information on the review that was undertaken by the Working Group is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/policies/local-government/#review-of-engineering-qualifications-in-the-local-government-sector
The Working Group was established to review the suite of engineering qualifications in the local government sector and therefore did not include a review of the current qualifications for Clerk of Works / Building Inspector which were most recently declared on 29 April 2021. My Department keeps existing qualifications under review and will, where necessary, and in consultation with the local government sector and unions, propose changes to existing qualifications and / or identify new qualifications.
453. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 550 of 30 September 2025, to list the aspects of the Ballymun regeneration project were uncompleted as of the end of 2013, when the project was "largely completed," and those which remain incomplete today. [71223/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provided funding to Dublin City Council and Ballymun Regeneration Limited to implement the Ballymun regeneration project.
My Department’s oversight of the regeneration projects at this location was concerned with general progress on the overall programme and it continually liaised with Dublin City Council and Ballymun Regeneration Limited on the strategic approach and general phasing of works. This ensured that the project progressed on a sustainable basis, particularly having regard to general budgetary constraints and with a view to achieving its original intended outcomes for the community in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner.
Dublin City Council advise that the substantial programme, which included 24 projects, is now complete. Approximately €972 million was spent on the programme, €775.3 million of which was recouped by my Department. Since construction started in 2000, this significant investment resulted in almost 2,000 new replacement homes being constructed for residents of the original flat blocks and an additional 1,350 homes in the area being provided via private sector investment.
Dublin City Council also advise that the physical element of the project was completed as of the end of 2013. However, my Department continued to provide social regeneration funding for community initiatives in Ballymun up to and including 2020. With the physical element of the project complete, it was not possible to continue to provide funding for the social regeneration programme indefinitely from my Department’s Exchequer allocations.
Taking account of this, the Exchequer element decreased annually by 25% from 2016 to 2020 by agreement between DCC Chief Executive and the Secretary General in my Department in 2016, with the shortfall being made up by Dublin City Council so that the overall level of support for the programme was not affected.
Accordingly, social and community initiatives in Ballymun have been fully funded by Dublin City Council since 2021.
The project plans for an individual development are a matter for the relevant local authority, in this case Dublin City Council. My Department does not hold information relating to uncompleted aspects of this project.
454. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the campaigns by the Government to attract construction workers to come to Ireland and to return home to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71091/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Future Building Initiative, a dedicated team staffed by Intreo from the Department of Social Protection, SOLAS and the Education and Training Boards, supports recruitment and training for the construction industry. The Department of Social Protection is leading the initiative to drive national and international recruitment activities. Future Building has to date been supported by the Department of the Taoiseach under the Government’s Housing for All Implementation Fund.
On an ongoing basis Future Building works with many construction companies, sharing construction vacancies with many EU/EEA countries through the EURES (European Employment Services) platform, and matching interested jobseekers with relevant employers. Future Building also organises events where construction firms showcase opportunities, apprenticeships, and graduate programmes.
In November the EURES team in my Department, in conjunction with Crosscare Irish Diaspora Support Project, organised "Failte Back". This was an online job day aimed at the Irish diaspora across the world planning on returning to Ireland. Thirty-nine construction employers participated in the event which offered direct access to employers and relocation advice.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is currently implementing the Careers in Construction Action Plan, which comprises 20 actions that relate to structural, promotional, and training activities to minimise barriers, promote career opportunities, and make construction jobs more attractive to women.
Among these actions are several campaign initiatives supported by the 2024 and 2025 Housing for All Implementation Fund. These include the "Building Heroes" peer-to-peer social media campaign, a documentary on careers in construction for second-level schools, and the "Build Back Home" campaign focused on Irish construction workers abroad.
455. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department, and agencies under the Department’s remit, purchase data on the habits and activities of social media users and other platforms; if so, the reasons for purchasing such data; the amount spent in 2024 and 2025 year to date on such expenditure, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70872/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe department has not purchased data on the habits and activities of social media users and has therefore incurred nil expenditure for this service in 2024 and 2025.
The Pensions Authority, Pensions Council and the Citizens Information Board have also confirmed that they did not incur any expenditure in 2024 or 2025 for the purchase of data on the habits and activities of social media users and other platforms.
456. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for disability allowance by a person (details supplied) will be decided given the family urgently need assistance. [70934/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to medical assessment, means test and habitual residency conditions.
I can confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the above-named person on 13 November 2025. As their initial application did not contain all the information required to make a decision on entitlement, an information request letter was sent to the person concerned on 21 November 2025. I can confirm documentation was received from the person concerned on 28 November 2025.
The person concerned has been awarded DA with effect from 01 October 2025. The first payment will be made on 07 January 2026. Arrears of payment due from 01 October 2025 to 06 January 2026 will issue as soon as possible.
The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 02 December 2025.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
457. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection if it can be ensured that in cases where a parent has been awarded full custody of their children, the child benefit payment will be paid to them in full, and regardless of gender, even if they remain living with their former partner or spouse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70941/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild Benefit is a monthly payment to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their nineteenth birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. It is paid in respect of almost 1.3 million children.
Under current legislation Child Benefit is paid to a qualified person with whom the child is normally resident. Consequently payment is based on the residence of the child.
The rules regarding qualified persons to receive Child Benefit are outlined in Section 220 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005, and normal residence is subject to the provisions of Article 159 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims Payments and Control) Regulations, 2007 (S.I. 142/2007).
In accordance with these legislative provisions, where a qualified child resides with his or her mother, the child is deemed to be resident with the mother and with no other person. This applies even where the child’s father also resides in same household. These legislative provisions are not affected by the custody arrangements of the cohabiting parents.
It is important that our policies continue to reflect the society they were designed to serve. Any changes to current Child Benefit policy would require the amendment of primary legislation and would need careful consideration in terms of unintended consequences.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
458. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the disability allowance is means-tested for couples who are cohabiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70988/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to illness or disability.
Disability Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment for people with a disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In order to be eligible the disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the person must satisfy a habitual residency condition.
Social welfare legislation provides that for means-tested social assistance schemes, all income and assets belonging to the claimant, and his or her spouse or partner where applicable, are assessable for means-testing purposes. The purpose of the means test is to ensure that resources are directed to those with the greatest need for income supports by the State.
The means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property – other than the family home – and capital.
If a person’s spouse, civil partner or cohabitant works, their ‘net’ weekly earnings from work as an employee are assessed as follows:
• €20 per day, up to a maximum of €60, from work is deducted from their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant’s average net weekly earnings; and
• 60% of the balance is assessed as weekly means.
Disability Allowance has one of the highest capital disregards operated by the Department of Social Protection. A recipient can have up to €50,000 in savings and still receive the full rate of payment. This is compared to €20,000 for most social welfare payments. A person’s family home is not assessed as means.
The Programme for Government and the new National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025 - 2030 both contain a commitment to reform the Disability Allowance Payment and remove anomalies in the current means test for the payment. There is also a commitment to introduce a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment.
My Department is currently reviewing means testing across all its social assistance schemes. The outcome of this review will be used to inform decisions regarding any further changes to means testing.
My Department is committed to improving outcomes for people with a disability. As a result, a number of improvements were announced in Budget 2026. These include:
• €10 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments from January 2026. There will be proportionate increases for people getting a reduced rate.
• Christmas bonus to all persons getting a long-term disability payment to be paid in December 2025.
• People moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work from September 2026 will keep their Fuel Allowance for 5 years.
• People getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension will be eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend when taking up employment.
• Wage Subsidy Scheme extended to more people who acquire a disability.
• €1.20 increase in the Wage Subsidy Scheme base rate to €7.50 per hour and introducing a middle rate of €8.50 from April 2026.
• €5 increase in Fuel Allowance from €33 to €38 per week from January 2026. This will provide an additional €140 during the annual fuel allowance season.
• Weekly rates of Child Support Payment increased by €16 to €78 for children aged 12 or over, and by €8 to €58 for children under 12, from January 2026.
• The Government allocated €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026, including funding for Community Based Specialist Disability Services to ensure people with disabilities receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place. This represents a 20% increase year on year and represents an overall increase since 2020 of €1.8 billion.
This will build on the progress made over the last number of years where the Government have progressively improved payment rates for disabled people. Over the last five budgets the weekly payment rates for Disability Allowance have increased by €51.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
459. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility of a person (details supplied) for a pension (non-contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71182/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for State pension non-contributory was received from the person concerned on 10 September 2024.
The maximum weekly rate of pension was awarded with effect from 19 September 2024 and notification of the decision issued, in writing, on 16 September 2024.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
460. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on any changes to the personal injuries guidelines proposed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71236/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the 17 September, as required by section 7 of the Judicial Council Act 2019, I laid the revised personal injury guidelines before the Houses of the Oireachtas. Prior to the laying of the documents, I consulted Ministerial colleagues and the Attorney General in relation to the proposed increase in award amounts contained in the Judicial Council’s proposals.
It is my intention not to bring a Resolution before the Houses seeking the approval of the guidelines at this time. In effect, this means that the amended Guidelines cannot come into effect and the existing Guidelines will remain in place. In addition, I have received Government approval to draft a general scheme of a Bill to amend the Judicial Council Act 2019 to make reviews of the Personal Injuries Guidelines more comprehensive and transparent. The General Scheme of the Bill will be referred for Pre-Legislative Scrutiny in due course.
461. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department, and agencies under the Department’s remit, purchase data on the habits and activities of social media users and other platforms; if so, the reasons for purchasing such data; the amount spent in 2024 and 2025 year to date on such expenditure, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70869/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department does not engage in the purchasing of data on the habits and activities of social media users.
I am informed that the agencies operating under the remit of my Department have also confirmed that they also do not engage in transactions for the purchase of such data.
462. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding any deployment of Irish personnel (details supplied); the number of personnel, their roles, the duration of their deployment, and the locations of the operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70898/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra463. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any member of An Garda Síochána or other State staff have received or are scheduled to receive training at a location (details supplied); the details of the number of personnel, type of training, and dates training occurred or is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70900/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together.
As an EU Member State, Ireland is invited to participate at the Frontex Management Board in a non-voting capacity and can, should it wish to do so, seek to participate in certain training and joint operations co-ordinated by Frontex on behalf of EU Member States.
This generally amounts to Frontex training programmes being provided to relevant members of An Garda Síochána, usually members of the Garda National Immigration Bureau. Training programmes on document authentication, deportation practices and other relevant programmes have been provided to Garda members. I have requested the observations of the Commissioner of An Garda Siochana on the specific details of the Deputy's request and will forward any such details when provided.
I can clarify that Ireland is not involved directly in Frontex land/sea operations, as these activities are carried out by the Frontex Standing Corps in respect of the Schengen external border.
464. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to carry out a public consultation in relation to the changes to stamp 2 permissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70908/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra465. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will engage with the English language education sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70909/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 464 and 465 together.
The Programme for Government 2025 contains a commitment to publish a National Migration and Integration Strategy detailing how we intend to meet the demands and the opportunities facing Ireland’s society and economy over the next decade. My Department is working with other Government departments to develop this strategy with the aim to publish Ireland’s first overarching whole-of-government National Migration and Integration Strategy in 2026.
As part of this strategic approach, I am reviewing the area of student permissions, with a particular focus on English Language students. This work is aimed at ensuring that the system remains robust and rules-based, supports high-quality education providers, and continues to offer a positive experience for genuine students coming to Ireland.
Ireland welcomes international students who wish to travel here in order to pursue a course of study, thereby providing economic and other benefits to Ireland, as well of course as to the students themselves.
At Government level, the administration and management of international student programmes is within the remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), with my Department having responsibility for visa and related residency policies.
Minister O'Callaghan and I have met recently with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), James Lawless, to discuss this work and explore how our departments can continue to collaborate effectively on this work.
Given that this review into student permissions is at its initial stages, there are no current plans for immediate public or sectoral consultation at this juncture. However, my Department will consider its engagement with the English Language sector once more detailed proposals are developed.
I hope to bring forward proposals in this area in the coming months.
466. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to advise on a resident permit renewal application that has been refused (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70928/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that the registration renewal cited was refused because the person studies abroad, and therefore is not resident in the State. There is no basis to register a permission to remain where the person does not reside in the State.
I am further advised that in order to return to Ireland the person referred to must apply for a visa. As this individual is resident in Poland, she can apply for a visa from the Irish Embassy in Warsaw. Details of how to apply for a visa from Poland can be found at: www.ireland.ie/en/poland/warsaw/services/visas/visas-for-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.
467. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason a person (details supplied) has not received a response to their spousal visa appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70931/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that the visa appeal referred to was launched on 14 March 2024.
All visa applicants are advised that the responsibility is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they feel is necessary. Guidelines in this regard are posted on our website. People that carefully follow these guidelines have an improved prospect of receiving a positive decision.
It should be noted that visa appeals are dealt with in strict chronological order. A decision will be issued to the applicant as soon as full consideration has been given by a Visa Appeals Officer.
The person concerned can now directly check the status of their visa appeal on the Immigration Service’s Customer Service Portal. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/
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.
468. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the statistics on the number of penalty points issued for tailgating, by county, in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [70968/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have contacted the Garda authorities who have advised they are not in a position to provide a response for the number of penalty points issued for tailgating.
Based on the An Garda Síochána's understanding, ‘Tailgating’ relates to following another vehicle too closely. This would likely be recorded under Section 51A – ‘Driving a Vehicle Without Reasonable Consideration’.
They have further advised that since a wide range of driving behaviours could be recorded this way, to determine which offences were relevant to 'Tailgating' would require manual validation of all incidents and would require a disproportionate use of Garda time and resources.
I understand that the Road Safety Authority (RSA) publish statistics related to penalty points. The following link contains penalty points statistics by year and county from 2018 to 30 November 2025:
www.rsa.ie/road-safety/statistics/penalty-points
It may be of interest to the Deputy to know that An Garda Síochána also publish information in relation to roads policing offences which is publicly available and can be found at the following link:www.garda.ie/en/roads-policing/statistics/roads%20policing%20offences%20by%20region%20and%20division/
469. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the full details of all the payments made, for domestic utilities, waste collection, home maintenance, cleaning services, security and gardening services and any other contractual services paid for by the State at tax payers expense and provided to a person (details supplied) while they lived at Spa Lodge in the Phoenix Park between September 2018 and August 2025. [70991/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that I have provided him with all the information available to me in relation to the former Commissioner's remuneration and benefits.
In particular, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to oral parliamentary question 74 on this matter on 4 December that addressed the cost of accommodation that was provided to the former Commissioner, replies to parliamentary questions 707, 708, 712 and 713 on 9 December that addressed questions in relation to the pension contribution that was waived by the former Commissioner, and costs associated with the provision of security and the reply to parliamentary questions 268 that comprehensively addressed these matters.
In respect of utility bills I am informed that these were paid by the former Commissioner.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Office of Public Works is under the aegis of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and any questions in relation to expenditure by the OPW should be directed to him.
470. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason the provision of such a significant benefit as the provision of housing at the total expense of the taxpayer was not made known to any of the candidates on the shortlist for the role of Garda Commissioner in the course of the public competition held for the role in the Spring of 2018. [70992/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Policing Authority was responsible for the nomination of a person for appointment by the Government as Garda Commissioner from 2016 to 2025.
Following the retirement of Commissioner O'Sullivan in September 2017 the Policing Authority commenced preparations for a competition to fill the post of Garda Commissioner that would attract a wide pool of candidates.
In November 2017, the Policing Authority advised the Minister for Justice and Equality on the salary for the post and other matters such as removal expenses, accommodation and educational support for children.
With regard to accommodation, the Authority advised that in the case of a successful external candidate, it may be appropriate to provide for accommodation or an accommodation allowance given the requirement for the Garda Commissioner to reside in Dublin, and in light of the fact that the Commissioner is on call 24/7 throughout the year.
Contemporaneous media reports from late 2017 outlined that the Government may pay the accommodation costs and education fees for dependent children if an international candidate were to be selected for the role of Garda Commissioner.
The Information Booklet for the Commissioner competition was published in March 2018. The booklet included information on renumeration, including salary and pension details and that appropriate removal and relocation terms would be available, depending on the personal circumstances of the successful candidate. The booklet was available publicly for all prospective candidates, and the fact that accommodation may be provided was also covered in the media.
The Public Appointments Service (PAS) ran the competition and its report on the competition can be accessed at the following link: www.publicjobs.ie/documents/Report_on_appointment_of_new_Garda_Commissioner.pdf
Former Commissioner Harris was appointed as Garda Commissioner on 26 June 2018, and took up office on 3 September 2018. Commissioner Harris was the first Garda Commissioner who resided outside the State at the time of his appointment. Further to the appointment of Commissioner Harris in June 2018, suitable accommodation was identified for the Commissioner. As has been clarified, the former Garda Commissioner was provided with a house in the Phoenix Park by the Office of Public Works, the rent for which was paid by An Garda Síochána in the sum of €1,800 per month. As is also a matter of public record the former Commissioner paid benefit-in-kind in respect of the accommodation provided.
The Appropriation Accounts for An Garda Síochána since 2022, when reporting requirements changed, show that the former Commissioner's remuneration and benefits included benefit-in-kind of approximately €22,000 each year, which was the cost of the accommodation provided. The Appropriation Accounts note that the calculated value for the purpose of deducting tax was in accordance with Revenue requirements.
471. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he or his Department are now finally aware that in July 2021 the Garda National Technical Bureau (GNTB), with the expert assistance of the Garda ICT Department, diligently unearthed a catastrophic loss of biometric data amounting to in excess of 17,000 livescan fingerprint records that had fallen into ‘suspended’ status during the period June 2009 to July 2021. [70998/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for all operational policing matters under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the matter referenced by the Deputy concerns a number of livescan (digitised) fingerprints, and relates to an ICT issue whereby two Garda systems, namely PULSE and the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), do not appear to be communicating between each other fully.
In some instances, when the fingerprinting process has not been fully completed it is designated on PULSE as “suspended”. However, this “suspended” category does not appear on the AFIS database.
I understand that there has been significant engagement within An Garda Síochána, including Garda ICT, to identify the cause of the issue, its full extent, and remedies. This work is ongoing.
This review to date has found that there are approximately 23,000 “suspended” records that do not appear on the AFIS database.
472. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of members of the Garda National Technical Bureau (GNTB) who are currently certified in the area of CBRNe; when such certification is due to expire; and the expiration dates of the CBRN suits/masks on issue to them. [71004/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 training of Garda personnel throughout the State. As Minister I have no role in these independent functions.
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that at present no member of the Garda National Technical Bureau (GNTB) has a current CBRNe certification. Furthermore, no member of the Bureau is currently in possession of CBRNe suits or masks.
This situation is not however reflective of the overall preparedness of An Garda Síochána to deal with CBRN-related events.
Arrangements in respect of major emergencies are set out in the Framework for Major Emergency Management (MEM) which is intended to enable the Principal Response Agencies to prepare for and make a coordinated response to such emergencies.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that Chemical, Biological, Radioactive or Nuclear (CBRN) attacks or events have a multi-agency response under the MEM Framework and training and exercises are conducted between agencies at a strategic and operational level for such incidents.
An Garda Síochána are the lead agency in a malign CBRN attack and conduct training with first responders, armed units and intervention teams for such an attack. An Garda Síochána has a large cohort of trained CBRN responders.
