Monday, 11 Sep 2023

Written Answers Nos. 1061-1080

Social Welfare Payments

Questions (1061)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1061. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the difficulty experienced by a person (details supplied); if she will assist in getting this claim processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39208/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Disability 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 a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

I can confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 22 June 2023.

To determine their eligibility for DA in line with the means conditionality for the payment, an information request letter was sent to the person concerned on 31 August 2023 to supply supporting documentation.

I can confirm my Department received this requested information on 5 and 6 September 2023. The person concerned has been awarded DA with effect from 28 June 2023. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 7 September 2023.

The first payment will be made by their chosen payment method on 27 September 2023. Arrears of payment due for the period 28 June 2023 to 26 September 2023 will also issue as soon as possible.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Departmental Reviews

Questions (1062)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

1062. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date with the review taking place in her Department on means testing of social welfare schemes; when it is hoped this review will be completed; whether it is intended to include reforms to means testing in the forthcoming budget and social welfare Bill this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39294/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Means tests in my Department are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years. I have introduced a number of changes to means testing, including providing for higher income disregards. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, their income from work, to the level of the income disregard, is not assessed in the means test.

I have committed to a carrying out a broad review of means testing this year which will include consideration of means test provisions. This review is ongoing and I hope to complete it in Quarter 4.

Some changes may be introduced as part of Budget 2024, however these details are yet to be finalised as they have to be considered as part of the wider budgetary landscape.

I trust that clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (1063)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

1063. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on extending the fuel allowance to households in receipt of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39356/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.Only one allowance is paid per household.

The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.

People on long term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that my Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources such as Fuel Allowance to this cohort of claimants.

The Working Family Payment gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes and family size. It is not considered a long-term Social Protection payment and recipients are in full time employment and are more likely to have additional resources.

While Working Family Payment is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, people may receive Fuel Allowance while on Working Family Payment if they are in receipt of One Parent Family Payment.

In response to an amendment tabled at Committee Stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2023, I have asked my Department officials to prepare a report on the potential extension of eligibility for the Fuel Allowance to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment. The work is ongoing and when finished, I will carefully consider its contents and any recommendations that it may contain.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Payments

Questions (1064)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

1064. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection her view on a proposal (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39357/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2023 is expected to amount to almost €1.6 billion on these payments.

The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and provided, and that a means test is satisfied. The application of the means-test not only ensures that the recipient has an income need but also that scarce resources are targeted to those with the greatest need.

I am familiar with the proposal submitted by the organisation and I have listened to their views at both the Annual Carer's Forum and the Pre-Budget Forum, which were hosted by my department in May and July respectively.

As part of Budget 2022, I introduced measures which allowed carers to have a higher weekly household income and a higher level of savings, and still qualify for a Carer's Allowance payment. These were the first changes to the means test in 14 years:

• For carers who work, the weekly income disregard was increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.

• The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was increased from €20,000 to €50,000, aligning it with the capital means test for Disability Allowance.

These are the highest income disregards in the social welfare system and mean, in the case of a couple, that earnings of up to €39,000 per annum are disregarded. By comparison, the income disregard applied to Disability Allowance is €165 per week. For Jobseeker's Allowance, it is €20 per day up to a maximum of €60, and the balance is assessed at 60%. For Jobseeker's Transitional Payment, the weekly income disregard is €165 with 50% of the balance assessed as means.

It must be noted that any increase to the Carer’s Allowance disregards would result in people who may have higher sources of income benefitting while reducing the scope for the Department to provide income supports to lower income households. Carers whose sole income is the Carer’s Allowance would not benefit from increases to the disregards. Removing the means test for Carer’s Allowance in its entirety would create a new universal social protection scheme for those meeting the scheme’s basic caring condition. Carer's Allowance does not purport to be a payment for care and I do not intend to deviate from the underpinning principle of Carer’s Allowance being an income support payment.

In addition to Carer's Allowance, my department also provides a non-means tested payment to those carers who have to leave the workforce or reduce their hours in the form of Carer’s Benefit. For those providing ongoing care and attention for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability, Domiciliary Care Allowance is available and is also not means-tested.

Furthermore, the annual Carer's Support Grant - which I increased to its highest-ever rate of €1,850 - is also available to carers who are not on a social welfare payment. The grant is paid in a single lump sum annually, usually on the first Thursday in June. The grant is not means-tested and is not taxable and is paid in respect of each care recipient.

Notwithstanding the increased level of support already in place for carers, I have asked my department to keep the current carer supports under review as part of the annual budgetary process.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1065)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1065. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice how many drink driving arrests were made in each county or by Garda division in the country over the past ten years; how many drink driving tests were carried out in each county or Garda division in the past ten years; and how many convictions were achieved for drinking driving in each county or Garda division for the past ten years. [37184/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

However, to be of assistance I sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána and have been advised that the table appended to this answer lays out the breakdown per division of the number of incidents of type ‘Intoxicated Driving a Vehicle’ and ‘Intoxicated In Charge of a Vehicle’ where alcohol was a known intoxicant, as recorded on the Garda PULSE system.

I am further informed that these figures relate to incidents where alcohol was a known intoxicant, and are based on incidents which were reported between 1 January 2014 and 23 August 2023, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the PULSE system as was available on 23 August 2023 and is liable to change.

The Garda authorities have also advised that they cannot provide a breakdown of how many drink driving tests were carried out, as the details of all tests are not recorded on the PULSE system.

I can also advise the Deputy that management of the courts, including 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.

The Courts Service maintains data on convictions, and has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: [e-mail].

Division	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023*
Cavan/Monaghan	295	296	355	367	330	290	224	237	276	146
Clare	178	158	171	164	141	114	99	86	105	88
Cork City	328	296	312	313	273	232	191	214	233	173
Cork North	262	248	273	277	264	229	182	151	199	138
Cork West	178	189	195	199	182	169	110	93	131	85
D.M.R. Eastern	124	113	95	119	124	111	97	82	102	67
D.M.R. North Central	141	134	184	141	136	141	116	105	125	80
D.M.R. Northern	359	339	340	297	292	261	255	224	246	122
D.M.R. South Central	121	143	124	133	137	88	99	90	125	63
D.M.R. Southern	256	201	221	197	195	178	198	147	175	95
D.M.R. Western	327	317	321	354	289	337	307	251	291	166
Donegal	280	299	331	353	315	340	204	233	300	170
Galway Div	402	440	429	427	367	352	283	262	310	195
Kerry	267	294	261	279	253	246	146	168	190	139
Kildare Div	240	230	277	317	381	289	179	219	267	164
Kilkenny/Carlow	197	196	203	222	211	206	133	107	127	103
Laois/Offaly	176	177	210	248	242	207	121	119	136	95
Limerick	250	269	298	286	262	230	148	159	179	104
Louth Div	166	146	177	160	198	161	133	153	166	91
Mayo/Roscommon/Longford	315	312	334	419	366	260	230	253	269	148
Meath Div	208	215	254	267	276	263	186	187	214	105
Sligo/Leitrim	138	129	133	158	125	112	81	112	126	69
Tipperary	299	271	256	349	323	262	202	198	213	130
Waterford Div	199	195	209	202	179	169	119	143	180	110
Westmeath Div	165	173	192	204	156	131	102	104	147	77
Wexford Div	204	198	228	241	236	192	101	136	142	89
Wicklow Div	127	153	168	138	128	139	110	83	89	59
Grand Total	6202	6131	6551	6831	6381	5709	4356	4316	5063	3071

* 2023 figures cover the period from 01/01/2023 to 23/08/2023.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1066)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1066. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice how many speeding arrests were made in each county or by Garda division in the country over the past ten years; how many speeding checkpoints were carried out in each county or Garda division in the past ten years; and how many convictions were achieved for speeding in each county or Garda division for the past ten years. [37185/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, and will contact him again when this is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 1066 of 11 September 2023 where you sought: “To ask the Minister for Justice how many speeding arrests were made in each county or by Garda division in the country over the past ten years; how many speeding checkpoints were carried out in each county or Garda division in the past ten years; and how many convictions were achieved for speeding in each county or Garda division for the past ten years.”

As you will recall, I had sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities, and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.

As you will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, which includes the enforcement of road traffic legislation and the recording of information on Garda IT systems. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that, as per the Garda Síochána Analysis Service (GSAS), checkpoints are recorded on PULSE, but there is no specific incident type for speed checkpoints and this information is not available as a result.

To be of assistance, GSAS have provided the table attached at Appendix 1, which is a yearly breakdown per Garda division of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offences of speeding.

These figures include both intercept (Garda member) and non-intercept (mobile safety camera van) detections. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the FCPS system as was available on 13 September 2023 and is liable to change.

In relation to the number of convictions for speeding in each County over the last ten years, it is the function of the Courts Service to provide information on any convictions handed down or orders issued by the Courts. 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: [e-mail].

Appendix 1

The table below provides a breakdown per Garda division of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offences of speeding.

FCPN BY DIVISION	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023*
Cavan/Monaghan	7703	6126	6105	5102	4165	4486	5732	4964	5204	4360
Clare/Tipperary	14835	12096	13251	9545	9459	8072	11589	13168	17226	15811
Cork City	7894	6709	5009	4917	3203	4092	7164	12250	10449	5677
Cork North	10281	8331	7977	4553	5078	4940	6607	6316	7409	3627
Cork West	4709	5974	4683	3365	5464	4849	3444	4034	4571	2017
D.M.R. East	7755	5648	4273	4007	3439	4400	5529	4024	4526	2218
D.M.R. North Central	3002	5161	2849	4354	3064	3325	4010	3688	2479	1783
D.M.R. North	9799	10748	10827	10502	8179	8668	11682	9672	7245	3582
D.M.R. South Central	7515	5572	5582	4743	3723	3014	2736	2648	2729	1484
D.M.R. South	2650	3128	2233	1530	1623	1535	3438	3690	4601	3343
D.M.R. West	15974	22054	11343	7464	2742	3302	12895	8704	8639	5946
Donegal	4744	4758	4285	3108	2887	3344	3743	3715	3808	2144
Galway	13719	13117	9276	9820	9039	9476	13815	10625	12456	6619
Kerry	5514	4215	5577	3236	3552	4108	3846	4043	3331	2805
Kildare	15522	17510	15475	13821	14863	12830	12700	15623	11132	6705
Kilkenny/Carlow	9955	9611	7227	5694	5266	5060	5079	6102	4313	3921
Laois/Offaly	7243	3929	4714	5232	4665	5335	6723	8706	6544	4691
Limerick	17035	20867	11776	9527	10793	10908	8543	9253	9130	5702
Louth	5132	3971	2480	2321	2383	2318	4798	4901	3836	2873
Mayo/Roscommon/Longford	8973	5870	8100	8418	5770	8488	8341	6524	5161	3324
Meath	5621	4853	3290	4799	5728	3309	8350	7082	5825	3806
Sligo/Leitrim	8440	5529	4556	3556	3175	3123	1910	3143	2173	1543
Waterford	7166	8119	5960	3021	5197	5023	5521	5954	5328	3746
Westmeath	9107	8793	2873	3572	2452	3469	4847	5400	7448	4913
Wexford	8212	9162	6789	6718	4635	4492	5124	5157	4416	3403
Wicklow	8240	6050	5179	5290	5569	5174	13097	10465	5722	3823
TOTAL	226740	217901	171689	148215	136113	137140	181263	179851	165701	109866

*Figures are based on incidents which occurred from 1 January 2014 to 12 September 2023, inclusive.

All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the FCPS system as was available on 13 September 2023 and is liable to change.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1067)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1067. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the lowest number of gardaí on duty in each sub district overnight in Meath for each of the past five years; how many Garda stations in Ireland have no full-time garda; and if she will identify the stations. [37186/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice (Deputy Helen McEntee)

I can assure the Deputy the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and the 2023 budget of over €2 billion will allow for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff, with Garda recruits entering Templemore approximately every 11 weeks.

Overall, since 2015 there has been an almost 9% net increase in the number of Gardaí. These Gardaí are supported by around 3,140 Garda staff, which is over 56% more than the number of staff in 2015. This increases the availability of Gardaí to concentrate on front-line policing duties.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

I am assured by the Commissioner that the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide are taken into account, which include, but are not limited to:

- Local and national crime trends and workloads

- Policing arrangements and operational strategies

- Minimum establishment statistics

- Local population and trends, geographical area and size

- Transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns

I also understand that local and senior Garda management are consulted during the allocation of personnel and are responsible for the specific deployment and assignment of duties being undertaken at divisional level. The situation remains closely monitored by the Garda Senior Leadership Team, particularly in view of commitments to the continued roll-out of the operating model of policing at divisional level to ensure optimum use of all Garda Resources in providing the best possible Garda service to the community.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the information requested by the Deputy cannot be provided. I am informed that while Members may be allocated to a particular station they may, for operational reasons, be deployed elsewhere. I am further informed that it is not possible to provide a figure for the number of Gardaí on duty at any one time due to the fluctuating nature of crossovers, rosters, and other necessary operational changes.

The table appended below sets out the number of Gardaí nationwide by division, district and station from the end of December 2019 up to the end of December 2022 and at the end of July 2023, the latest date for when figures are available.

All information provided above is based upon operational data which has been provided by An Garda Síochána and may be subject to change.

The Deputy will wish to be aware that in the interest of transparency, detailed statistics on Garda workforce numbers are published on gov.ie and are updated regularly by my Department from information provided by An Garda Síochána. The statistics can be accessed using the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Garda Numbers

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1068)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1068. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of drones in the Garda air fleet. [37241/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda equipment. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

However, to be of assistance I sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána and have been advised that An Garda Síochána is currently conducting ongoing trials with a number of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and there is an internal Garda working group tasked with examining the wider potential and scope to use drones to assist in various policing operations.

I am further advised that 21 drones have been procured by An Garda Síochána for evaluation, training and possible future operational use in the Garda Air Support Unit.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1069)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1069. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice to outline the shortest, median and longest response times to emergency calls in each Garda division against any designated response time target; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37243/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including responses by An Garda Síochána to emergency calls. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána operates a Regional Control Room strategy which ensures that Garda resources are available to respond to calls for service from the public, including situations where a local resource is not immediately available.

Calls for service, whether received through a local Garda station or the 999 ECAS system, are routed through the Regional Control Rooms and prioritised for response. Higher priority calls will always take priority over lower priority calls.

The Garda authorities also inform me that An Garda Síochána aim to answer 80% of 999 calls within seven seconds and deploy resources immediately giving an estimated time of arrival. An Garda Síochána will take appropriate steps to deal with all incidents and ensure that emergency and life threatening calls receive priority. They will endeavour to get to callers within 15 minutes in urban locations and as soon as possible, given the distance to be travelled, in more rural areas.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the requested statistics relating to Garda response times for emergency call-outs throughout the country are not readily available at this time.

Statutory Instruments

Questions (1070)

Pa Daly

Question:

1070. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice if S.I. No. 17/2014 - District Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2014 has been implemented; the reason for the delay of its implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37247/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can advise the Deputy that the District Court Rules Committee has recently made, with my concurrence as Minister for Justice, Statutory Instrument No. 418 of 2023, cited as the District Court (Costs) Rules 2023 which came into operation on 25 August 2023.

As Minister for Justice, I have no responsibility for the operation of Court Rules once made, that is a matter for the Courts. The Constitution provides that justice shall be administered in Courts by judges and that judges shall be independent in the exercise of their judicial functions. The Courts, under the Constitution are independent of the Government and the Oireachtas.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (1071)

Pa Daly

Question:

1071. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice if new citizenship application processes have meant applications have been processed in non-chronological order; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37249/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will appreciate, my Department is focused on continually identifying ways of improving the naturalisation process for applicants and reducing any backlog as soon as possible. Through adding staff, but also through digitising and streamlining services, processing rates have increased by over 30 percent against pre-pandemic figures.

Earlier this year the Citizenship Division of my Department wrote to all applicants explaining that, as improvements are made to the processing system, there may seem to be variation in how files are processed i.e. how long it takes to register, process and grant decisions.

A key feature of the new process is that applications are registered within a matter of weeks of receipt rather than months. As such the benefit of this approach will be felt by new applications rather than older ones. The new process also allows for earlier referral for e-vetting. While new applicants have benefitted from this, at the same time in the region of 13,000 older applicants have also been sent the same new e-vetting link.

While new applicants are benefitting from these enhancements at an earlier stage in their application, the new processes will ultimately help reduce the time it takes to process all applications. For example, it is expected that the vast majority of applications received in 2022 will be naturalised is less time than the current average processing time of 19 months.

Citizenship Division’s current policy remains to process applications within sequence wherever possible, however, new processes must be tested to ensure they work. As part of this testing process a range of 2023 files were processed to conclusion earlier this year which has resulted in 1,036 applications from 2023 being naturalised. In the region of 13,000 applications have been received to date in 2023. For reference purposes, of the files received in 2021, 7,497 files have been naturalised to date along with 2,739 files from 2022.

As a result of the changes being implemented across Citizenship the vast majority of outstanding files from 2021 and 2022 (around 15,000 files) are now in the final stages of processing. These case are being prioritised for conclusion, however, every application is different and therefore some may take longer to process than others.

The changes to processing arrangements have also resulted in the finalisation of the vast majority of the backlog in Minor files and additional Citizenship Ceremonies to give applicants more opportunities to be naturalised.

Human Trafficking

Questions (1072)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1072. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons arrested, prosecuted and convicted of human trafficking in the State in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023. [37295/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will be aware. 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.

The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas at: [e-mail].

To be of assistance, I have referred the Deputy's query to the Court Service for direct reply as they are best placed to provide the information he is seeking in relation to the number of prosecutions and convictions for human trafficking for the past 10 years.

Human Trafficking

Questions (1073, 1074, 1075)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1073. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of reports of human trafficking received by gardaí in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023. [37296/23]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1074. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice if she has undertaken to examine the rate of child trafficking in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37297/23]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1075. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice if her Department is aware of any instances of trafficking for organ harvesting in the State over the past decade; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37298/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1073 to 1075, inclusive, together.

The prevention, detection and prosecution of the abhorrent crime of human trafficking is a priority for me as Minister for Justice and for this Government.

A number of significant measures have been taken to combat human trafficking, to create a more victim-centred approach to identifying and supporting victims, and to raise awareness and provide training for those who need it.

The most significant of these has been the development of the new National Referral Mechanism (NRM) framework which will make it easier for victims of human trafficking to come forward and access supports and services by providing a role for a range of state bodies and NGOs in identifying victims of human trafficking and referring them to the NRM.

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023, which will put the revised NRM on a statutory footing, was published last July and is a priority for this new term.

Alongside this, officials in my Department are working on finalising our new National Action Plan on Human Trafficking which we expect to publish shortly. It will set out how the multi-agency work to combat this criminal activity and support victims will be taken forward.

In relation to the specific figures sought by the Deputy, the following figures have been provided to my Department by the Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit in An Garda Síochána for our annual reports, which are available on www.blueblindfold.ie

Year	Number of Identified Victims
2014	38
2015	62
2016	75
2017	75
2018	64
2019	42
2020	38
2021	44
2022	42

The Deputy will wish to be aware that a change in recognition of prosecutions and convictions internationally as human trafficking, except in distinct circumstances in respect of certain offences under Section 3(2) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 as amended, from 2018 onward has resulted in a lower numbers identified as victims of human trafficking relative to previous years.

In relation to the information sought in respect of the rate of the rate of child trafficking in the State, An Garda Síochána have advised that as a result of the introduction of new Pulse Incident Types during 2021, some of which relate specifically to offences against children, it is only possible to provide incident counts from 01/01/2022.

As such I am informed that there were five incident counts in 2022 where type relates specifically to a child and four in 2023.

The Deputy will be interested to know that the identification and protection of child trafficking victims in Ireland is a key priority and while the majority of actions in the new National Action Plan on Human Trafficking relate to both adult and child victims, there are a number of child specific measures included under each of the plan’s pillars.

Finally, in relation to the Deputy's question concerning the crime of organ harvesting occurring within the State over the past decade, An Garda Síochána have advised that the count of human trafficking incidents of type 'Removal of Organs - Person Other Than A Child' for that time period is too low to report.

Question No. 1074 answered with Question No. 1073.

Question No. 1075 answered with Question No. 1073.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1076)

John Brady

Question:

1076. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí in County Wicklow; the stations in which they have been located in each of the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37315/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can assure the Deputy the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and the 2023 budget of over €2 billion will allow for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff with Garda recruits entering Templemore every 11 weeks.

Overall, since 2015 there has been an almost 9% net increase in the number of Gardaí. These Gardaí are supported by around 3,140 Garda staff, which is over 56% more than the number of staff in 2015. This increases the availability of Gardaí to concentrate on front-line policing duties.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

I am however assured by the Commissioner that this distribution is kept under review in light of emerging crime trends and policing needs.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that there were 295 Garda members assigned to Wicklow Division at the end of July 2023, the latest date for which figures are available. These Garda members are supported by 30 Garda staff which represents an increase of over 15% since 2017.

This increase in Garda staff numbers means that Gardaí can be redeployed from administrative to operational policing duties, where their training and policing expertise can be used to best effect.

The tables appended to this answer provide the number of Garda members by rank who were assigned to Wicklow Garda Division at the end of December 2021, at the end of December 2022, and at 31 July of this year, the latest date for which figures are available.

The Deputy will wish to be aware that in the interest of transparency, detailed statistics on Garda workforce numbers are published on gov.ie and are updated regularly by my Department from information provided by An Garda Síochána. The statistics can be accessed using the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Wicklow Division

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1077)

John Brady

Question:

1077. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda patrol vehicles in County Wicklow; the stations in which they have been located in each of the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37316/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service. Budget 2023 provides funding in excess of €2.1 billion for An Garda Síochána, of which €10m has been allocated for investment in the Garda fleet.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda vehicles. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

The tables below, which were provided to me by the Garda authorities, set out the number of vehicles assigned to Wicklow Division by district at the end of December 2021 and 2022, and on the 31 August 2023, the latest date for when figures are available. I am informed that the Garda authorities do not provide vehicle allocations by Garda Station for security reasons.

Wicklow Division 30/12/2021	Cars	Vans	Motorcycles	4 x 4	*Others	Total
BALTINGLASS	12	3	0	1	0	16
BRAY	20	4	2	1	0	27
WICKLOW	18	4	0	4	1	27
Total	50	11	2	6	1	70

Wicklow Division 31/12/2022	Cars	Vans	Motorcycles	4 x 4	*Others	Total
BALTINGLASS	11	3	0	1	0	15
BRAY	20	4	2	1	0	27
WICKLOW	16	4	0	4	1	25
Total	47	11	2	6	1	67

Wicklow Division 31/08/2023	Cars	Vans	Motorcycles	4 x 4	*Others	Total
BALTINGLASS	12	3	0	1	0	16
BRAY	21	4	1	1	0	27
WICKLOW	15	4	0	4	1	24
Total	48	11	1	6	1	67

*The category 'others' refers to MPV, SUV, Minibus or Prisoner Conveyance Vehicles

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that An Garda Síochána publish information on Garda fleet, including a Divisional/District monthly breakdown, on their website at: www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/finance-services/finance-fleet-management.html

An Garda Síochána

Questions (1078)

John Brady

Question:

1078. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Justice the number of community gardaí in County Wicklow; the stations in which they have been located in each of the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37317/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I want to emphasise that community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and that all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties.

Indeed, community policing is fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and currently being rolled out under 'A Policing Service for Our Future', the Government's implementation plan for the Commission's recommendations.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

I am however assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review to ensure their optimal use.

The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this policy. Funding has been provided for up to 1,000 new Gardaí this year and we are seeing more Garda recruits enter Templemore every 11 weeks.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that a member of An Garda Síochána can be deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that member 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 partnership and engagement.

I am also advised that in some rural areas, the existing personnel will form CPTs. They will have dual functions as first responders and community policing members. Additionally, CPTs will be augmented by Community Support Gardaí who will perform front-line duties and will be assigned a particular Community Policing Area to support dedicated Community Gardaí.

I understand that each Division will have a number of CPTs assigned to it, consisting of an Inspector, Sergeant and Community Policing Gardaí. CPTs will prioritise engagement with communities for the delivery of long-term sustainable solutions to community needs.

The table below, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the location of all Community Gardaí assigned to Wicklow Division at the end of December 2021 and 2022, and at the end of July 2023, the latest date for which figures are available. Please note that this information is based upon operational data which has been provided by An Garda Síochána and may be liable to change.

Wicklow Division	2021	2022	Jul-23
Bray	3	3	2
Baltinglass	1	1	1
Greystones	4	0	2
Arklow	1	1	1
Total	9	5	6

The Deputy will wish to be aware that in the interest of transparency, detailed statistics on Garda workforce numbers are published on gov.ie and are updated regularly by my Department from information provided by An Garda Síochána. The statistics can be accessed using the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/

Residency Permits

Questions (1079, 1080, 1081)

Alan Dillon

Question:

1079. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Justice to provide an explanation for the lack of review and adjustment of the IRP card fee since 2012, despite the considerable disparity between the cost to the State and the fee charged to migrants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37322/23]

Alan Dillon

Question:

1080. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Justice if her Department will justify the current fee structure for the IRP card, particularly considering that most European countries offer similar services at notably lower costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37323/23]

Alan Dillon

Question:

1081. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Justice if her Department is considering any initiatives to reduce the burden of IRP card fees on migrants, making the process more affordable and equitable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37324/23]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1079 to 1081, inclusive, together.

The current registration fee has remained unchanged since 2012, and is subject to a range of exemptions insofar as certain groups of applicants are concerned. The registration fee is intended to reflect the effort and costs involved in processing registrations, over and above the physical cost of production of each card and, importantly, the need to continue to invest in measures to improve and modernise the services provided to applicants.

In the last twelve months, a Modernisation team has been established in Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), charged with delivering my Department’s stated, and published, objective of a fair immigration system for a digital age. This ambitious programme of modernisation is aimed at improving the service we provide to customers and requires significant ongoing financial investment.

A modernised Immigration Service will offer a fully online service for our customers (as well as access for those who are unable to engage online). The service will include a portal allowing users to save applications and communications. The service will also facilitate integration with commonly used third-party services (for instance, payment services). When delivered, ISD’s service will have minimised the need to submit printed applications or other documentation, will have reduced processing time and increased the quality of service offered to applicants and their families.

This approach is building on ISD’s current digital offering, including the online registration renewals process in the Dublin region and the 2021 launch of the new Irish Immigration website. The number of customers using the website, and using its automatic translation service (the site is offered in 14 languages), is encouraging. Additionally, most ISD applications forms which do not require the user to be physically present (for, e.g. fingerprinting) are now available online and more will be available in the coming months.

As well as improving operational efficiency, my Department is committed to improving the service we provide to our customers. In the last few months, we have launched a centralised customer service function: this unit is now addressing almost half of all in-bound queries, and their capacity (and digital capability) is due to be further enhanced in the coming months. We have also introduced the Freephone appointment booking service; addressing a significant customer concern around access to appointments.

I can inform you that it is my Department’s intention to take stock of registration and renewal arrangements in general. This will include consideration of the duration of permissions, range of persons in respect of whom registration is required, range of current exemptions and fee structures. It is anticipated that this exercise will be carried out in Quarter 1 of 2024. A change in the level of fees is a matter which would have to be decided in the context of the estimates process.

In the course of implementing this programme of change and modernisation, my Department will engage with and keep all stakeholders fully updated on progress.

Question No. 1080 answered with Question No. 1079.