Written answer
Seized Property
The Minister grouped the questions and did not provide the requested figures or investigation outcomes. She referred to independent protected-disclosure mechanisms in An Garda Síochána and Fiosrú, with relevant annual reports from 2015 to 2025 available online, including Department reports covering CAB disclosures.
106. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of complaints and investigations undertaken by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in the past ten years concerning allegations that members of An Garda Síochána unlawfully appropriated, stole, retained or improperly handled seized or confiscated property. [67311/26]
Comment on this
107. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of protected disclosures received by An Garda Síochána, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and the Department of Justice Home Affairs and Migration in each of the past ten years concerning seized assets, evidence handling, confiscated property, proceeds of crime or related asset management issues. [67310/26]
Comment on this
108. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of allegations made against members of An Garda Síochána in relation to the theft, misuse, unauthorised access, mishandling, substitution or improper disposal of seized property or evidence in each of the past ten years; and the outcome of such investigations. [67309/26]
Comment on this
I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 107 and 108 together.
The Protected Disclosures Acts 2014 and 2022 were put in place to support and protect people with concerns about actions or omissions in their workplace to speak up, confidentially and safely.
An Garda Síochána and Fiosrú, formerly the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) are operationally independent and both bodies have their own mechanisms in place for the receipt, assessment, and management of protected disclosures made to those bodies.
Under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, Garda members and Garda staff may confidentially disclose allegations of wrongdoing through established mechanisms within An Garda Síochána, or to Fiosrú, as a prescribed person under section 7 of that Act.
An Garda Síochána’s Annual Reports on Protected Disclosures are published on the Garda website in line with the statutory reporting framework established by the Act. These can be accessed at the following link: www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/annual reports/an-garda-siochana-annual-reports/
Fiosrú publishes in its Annual Reports statistical information relating to the receipt of protected disclosures by their dedicated protected disclosures unit. The Annual Reports for the years 2015 to 2025 have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and are available on the Fiosrú website www.fiosru.ie
Any protected disclosure reports relating to the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) are examined under my Department’s protected disclosures procedures and included in the Department’s protected disclosures annual reports. The Department of Justice publishes its Protected Disclosures annual reports on a dedicated webpage at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/organisation-information/department-of-justice-protected-disclosures/
Reports are available from 2015 to 2025.
The Office of the Protected Disclosure Commissioner publishes annual reports which give a breakdown on Protected Disclosures made and which can be found at the following link: opdc.ie/en/