Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1186.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1481 of 23 July 2024, if she has received the necessary information from Garda authorities in order to answer this PQ.[35494/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I understand Parliamentary Question No. 1481 of 23 July 2024 refers to the amount that An Garda Síochána has spent on hiring out crowd control barriers in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form.

You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available, and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the requested information was available.

As you will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, nor can I direct the Commissioner with regard to them.

The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, which is reflected in the allocation of over €2.35 billion under Budget 2024.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that in 2023 An Garda Síochána spent €1,587,573 and, as of 16 July, the latest date for which figures are available, it has spent €568,338 on hiring crowd control barriers in 2024.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1187.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality 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]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As 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.

An Garda Síochána do not have reporting available on the current status of those seized objects.