513. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of arrests for drug offences in each county in each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [9334/25]

Jim O'Callaghan, Minister for Justice: Tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government. The Government is investing record amounts into An Garda Síochána to target those involved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs through Operation Tara. Operation Tara has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing across the country, and also seeks to disrupt and dismantle the drug trafficking networks that impact on our communities and prosecute those involved at every level.

The Government is committed to limiting access to illegal drugs to the greatest extent possible and have taken a number of direct actions to tackle this, including by:

• Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison to tackle those who direct gangland and drug related crime;
• Introducing new legislation which criminalises the grooming of children into a life of crime;
• Rolling out a support programme to break the link between the gangs and the children they try to recruit.

Work is also ongoing in my Department on the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill, which will strengthen CAB’s ability to target the proceeds of crime and speed up the process to dispose of the asset for the benefit of the State.

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 for all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

The table below, which has been provided to me by the Garda Authorities, sets out the count of arrests associated with the Misuse of Drugs Acts in each Garda Division from 2015 to December 2024.

This is operational data extracted from PULSE at the end of February 2025, and is subject to change.