Update: Incidents of Life Threatening Intentions, 8th July 2015

QUESTION NO:  36

DÁIL QUESTION  addressed to the Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald)
by Deputy Bernard J. Durkan
for ORAL on Tuesday, 7th July, 2015.   

 
  To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of reported and recorded incidents of life threatening intentions against member of An Garda Síochána or members of the general public, in each of the past six years to date; the action taken, or proposed action, to deal with this menace, which represents a serious challenge to the authority of An Garda Síochána, and to the security of the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

                                            – Bernard J. Durkan

 
REPLY.

As the Deputy will be aware the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of recorded crime statistics. I have requested the CSO to provide the available statistics in relation to recorded instances of threats along the lines referred to by the Deputy directly to him.       

As the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to detail the operational measures that the Garda authorities have taken or would take generally in relation to threats and members of An Garda Síochána. However, I can assure the Deputy that whatever protective and detection measures are deemed appropriate by the Garda authorities are of course taken.   More generally, tackling serious and organised crime and addressing the harms it gives rise to at all levels in our community is a central policing priority, and An Garda Síochána has my full support for the strategies it has in place to give effect to this commitment.   I should also say that while the criminal law in this area is being kept under ongoing review, there is a range of robust legislative provisions available to the Garda authorities in circumstances where threats or assaults are made against Gardaí.