Question
167. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 8 July 2015, where 15,824 offences of holding a mobile phone came before the courts and convictions were recorded in relation to 4,716, if she will provide a breakdown of the number of these offences, by District Court, in 2013 and 2014 and up to the end of March 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29392/15]
Answer
Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the tables below provide the information requested.
Please note that the total number of convictions previously provided in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 8 July 2015 has changed. The most recent report run on the Criminal Court Case Tracking System takes account of factors such as convictions which may have been appealed, reversed, set aside etc. since the report was first run in response to the earlier question.
Report by Court Area on number of offences listed and number of offences convicted for holding a mobile phone for 2013, 2014 and January – March 2015
Note 1: Report includes summonses not served
Note 2: Report includes summonses and charge sheets
Note 3: Report includes cases listed but may not yet be finalised
Jan – Dec 2013
| Court Area | Offences Listed | Convictions |
| ABBEYFEALE | 6 | 2 |
| ACAILL | 1 | 0 |
| ARDEE | 20 | 3 |
| ARKLOW | 13 | 4 |
| ATHLONE | 54 | 8 |
| ATHY | 32 | 6 |
| BALLINA | 19 | 3 |
| BALTINGLASS | 7 | 1 |
| BANDON | 46 | 12 |
| BEAL AN MHUIRTHEAD | 0 | 0 |
| BALLYCONNELL & SWANLINBAR | 12 | 1 |
| BIRR | 4 | 1 |
| BALLINASLOE | 14 | 4 |
| BALLAGHADERREEN | 1 | 1 |
| BALLYSHANNON | 0 | 0 |
| BALLYHAUNIS | 1 | 0 |
| BANTRY | 12 | 2 |
| BRAY | 62 | 22 |
| BUNCRANA | 10 | 2 |
| CAHIRCIVEEN | 4 | 0 |
| CARLOW | 57 | 8 |
| CASHEL | 17 | 1 |
| CAVAN | 62 | 6 |
| CASTLEBAR | 54 | 9 |
| CLIFDEN | 3 | 2 |
| CLONMEL | 26 | 4 |
| CLONAKILTY | 24 | 10 |
| CORK CITY | 485 | 162 |
| CARRICK ON SHANNON | 21 | 3 |
| CARRICKMACROSS | 17 | 5 |
| CARNDONAGH | 2 | 0 |
| CARRICK ON SUIR | 18 | 4 |
| CASTLEREA | 2 | 0 |
| AN DAINGEAN | 0 | 0 |
| DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT | 2,583 | 652 |
| DUNGARVAN | 23 | 8 |
| DONEGAL | 2 | 1 |
| DROGHEDA | 47 | 9 |
| DOIRE AN FHEICH | 1 | 0 |
| DUNDALK | 30 | 7 |
| AN CLOCHAN LIATH | 1 | 0 |
| EDENDERRY | 8 | 3 |
| ENNIS | 170 | 44 |
| AN FAL CARRACH | 1 | 1 |
| FERMOY | 25 | 5 |
| GALWAY | 217 | 66 |
| NA GLEANNTA | 0 | 0 |
| GORT | 29 | 6 |
| GOREY | 34 | 9 |
| KELLS | 34 | 12 |
| KENMARE | 0 | 0 |
| KILLALOE | 2 | 0 |
| KINSALE | 9 | 5 |
| KILCOCK | 35 | 10 |
| KILKENNY | 140 | 33 |
| KILLORGLIN | 4 | 1 |
| KILRUSH | 7 | 0 |
| KILLARNEY | 32 | 6 |
| LETTERKENNY | 37 | 12 |
| LIMERICK | 267 | 59 |
| LISMORE | 8 | 1 |
| LISTOWEL | 4 | 0 |
| LONGFORD | 72 | 21 |
| LOUGHREA | 37 | 5 |
| MACROOM | 58 | 16 |
| MALLOW | 110 | 30 |
| MANORHAMILTON | 1 | 0 |
| MIDLETON | 73 | 15 |
| MONAGHAN | 11 | 2 |
| MULLINGAR | 88 | 23 |
| NAAS | 200 | 53 |
| NENAGH | 25 | 2 |
| NEWCASTLE WEST | 29 | 6 |
| NAVAN | 124 | 17 |
| PORTLAOISE | 114 | 25 |
| ROSCOMMON | 36 | 13 |
| SKIBBEREEN | 5 | 4 |
| SLIGO | 23 | 4 |
| STROKESTOWN | 10 | 5 |
| SWINFORD | 10 | 0 |
| THURLES | 32 | 4 |
| TIPPERARY | 8 | 3 |
| TRALEE | 43 | 4 |
| TRIM | 14 | 2 |
| TUAM | 57 | 19 |
| TUBBERCURRY | 6 | 0 |
| TULLAMORE | 46 | 15 |
| VIRGINIA | 19 | 3 |
| WEXFORD | 53 | 27 |
| WICKLOW | 37 | 13 |
| WESTPORT | 5 | 1 |
| WATERFORD CITY | 116 | 36 |
| YOUGHAL | 13 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 6,331 | 1,608 |
Jan – Dec 2014
| Court Area | Offences Listed | Convictions |
| ABBEYFEALE | 4 | 2 |
| ACAILL | 1 | 0 |
| ARDEE | 13 | 0 |
| ARKLOW | 16 | 2 |
| ATHLONE | 109 | 49 |
| ATHY | 18 | 6 |
| BALLINA | 19 | 2 |
| BALTINGLASS | 0 | 0 |
| BANDON | 82 | 39 |
| BEAL AN MHUIRTHEAD | 5 | 2 |
| BALLYCONNELL & SWANLINBAR | 0 | 0 |
| BIRR | 1 | 1 |
| BALLINASLOE | 17 | 9 |
| BALLAGHADERREEN | 3 | 1 |
| BALLYSHANNON | 9 | 3 |
| BALLYHAUNIS | 0 | 0 |
| BANTRY | 13 | 5 |
| BRAY | 94 | 30 |
| BUNCRANA | 5 | 0 |
| CAHIRCIVEEN | 0 | 0 |
| CARLOW | 67 | 20 |
| CASHEL | 19 | 2 |
| CAVAN | 97 | 23 |
| CASTLEBAR | 50 | 11 |
| CLIFDEN | 5 | 3 |
| CLONMEL | 74 | 15 |
| CLONAKILTY | 16 | 9 |
| CORK CITY | 523 | 256 |
| CARRICK ON SHANNON | 26 | 3 |
| CARRICKMACROSS | 28 | 9 |
| CARNDONAGH | 1 | 7 |
| CARRICK ON SUIR | 12 | 0 |
| CASTLEREA | 8 | 4 |
| AN DAINGEAN | 2 | 1 |
| DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT | 3,088 | 825 |
| DUNGARVAN | 31 | 4 |
| DONEGAL | 6 | 2 |
| DROGHEDA | 44 | 13 |
| DOIRE AN FHEICH | 6 | 3 |
| DUNDALK | 33 | 12 |
| AN CLOCHAN LIATH | 5 | 2 |
| EDENDERRY | 0 | 0 |
| ENNIS | 210 | 74 |
| AN FAL CARRACH | 1 | 1 |
| FERMOY | 19 | 5 |
| GALWAY | 375 | 154 |
| NA GLEANNTA | 1 | 0 |
| GORT | 40 | 7 |
| GOREY | 18 | 3 |
| KELLS | 0 | 0 |
| KENMARE | 1 | 0 |
| KILLALOE | 10 | 2 |
| KINSALE | 0 | 0 |
| KILCOCK | 26 | 11 |
| KILKENNY | 68 | 19 |
| KILLORGLIN | 3 | 4 |
| KILRUSH | 16 | 0 |
| KILLARNEY | 33 | 9 |
| LETTERKENNY | 22 | 5 |
| LIMERICK | 187 | 66 |
| LISMORE | 6 | 4 |
| LISTOWEL | 13 | 5 |
| LONGFORD | 65 | 19 |
| LOUGHREA | 39 | 20 |
| MACROOM | 48 | 18 |
| MALLOW | 98 | 35 |
| MANORHAMILTON | 1 | 1 |
| MIDLETON | 94 | 40 |
| MONAGHAN | 25 | 3 |
| MULLINGAR | 67 | 27 |
| NAAS | 217 | 90 |
| NENAGH | 17 | 4 |
| NEWCASTLE WEST | 67 | 24 |
| NAVAN | 163 | 43 |
| PORTLAOISE | 97 | 35 |
| ROSCOMMON | 41 | 16 |
| SKIBBEREEN | 8 | 4 |
| SLIGO | 48 | 12 |
| STROKESTOWN | 7 | 0 |
| SWINFORD | 32 | 9 |
| THURLES | 0 | 0 |
| TIPPERARY | 28 | 5 |
| TRALEE | 102 | 12 |
| TRIM | 22 | 4 |
| TUAM | 47 | 25 |
| TUBBERCURRY | 7 | 2 |
| TULLAMORE | 79 | 37 |
| VIRGINIA | 33 | 12 |
| WEXFORD | 114 | 47 |
| WICKLOW | 40 | 13 |
| WESTPORT | 2 | 0 |
| WATERFORD CITY | 138 | 42 |
| YOUGHAL | 20 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 7,365 | 2,349 |
Jan – Mar 2015
| Court Area | Offences Listed | Convictions |
| ABBEYFEALE | 0 | 0 |
| ACAILL | 0 | 0 |
| ARDEE | 8 | 5 |
| ARKLOW | 5 | 2 |
| ATHLONE | 14 | 6 |
| ATHY | 4 | 0 |
| BALLINA | 5 | 2 |
| BALTINGLASS | 0 | 0 |
| BANDON | 14 | 6 |
| BEAL AN MHUIRTHEAD | 2 | 0 |
| BALLYCONNELL & SWANLINBAR | 0 | 0 |
| BIRR | 0 | 0 |
| BALLINASLOE | 6 | 2 |
| BALLAGHADERREEN | 1 | 0 |
| BALLYSHANNON | 1 | 1 |
| BALLYHAUNIS | 0 | 0 |
| BANTRY | 6 | 2 |
| BRAY | 19 | 3 |
| BUNCRANA | 2 | 1 |
| CAHIRCIVEEN | 0 | 0 |
| CARLOW | 23 | 4 |
| CASHEL | 4 | 0 |
| CAVAN | 21 | 3 |
| CASTLEBAR | 14 | 3 |
| CLIFDEN | 0 | 0 |
| CLONMEL | 9 | 6 |
| CLONAKILTY | 2 | 1 |
| CORK CITY | 132 | 53 |
| CARRICK ON SHANNON | 0 | 0 |
| CARRICKMACROSS | 6 | 1 |
| CARNDONAGH | 1 | 1 |
| CARRICK ON SUIR | 4 | 1 |
| CASTLEREA | 1 | 0 |
| AN DAINGEAN | 1 | 0 |
| DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT | 767 | 184 |
| DUNGARVAN | 12 | 1 |
| DONEGAL | 4 | 0 |
| DROGHEDA | 14 | 4 |
| DOIRE AN FHEICH | 1 | 0 |
| DUNDALK | 8 | 2 |
| AN CLOCHAN LIATH | 0 | 0 |
| EDENDERRY | 0 | 0 |
| ENNIS | 32 | 15 |
| AN FAL CARRACH | 0 | 0 |
| FERMOY | 15 | 4 |
| GALWAY | 108 | 49 |
| NA GLEANNTA | 1 | 0 |
| GORT | 14 | 7 |
| GOREY | 5 | 1 |
| KELLS | 0 | 0 |
| KENMARE | 1 | 0 |
| KILLALOE | 4 | 1 |
| KINSALE | 0 | 0 |
| KILCOCK | 6 | 2 |
| KILKENNY | 33 | 18 |
| KILLORGLIN | 1 | 0 |
| KILRUSH | 5 | 2 |
| KILLARNEY | 9 | 0 |
| LETTERKENNY | 5 | 2 |
| LIMERICK | 66 | 21 |
| LISMORE | 0 | 0 |
| LISTOWEL | 8 | 1 |
| LONGFORD | 22 | 9 |
| LOUGHREA | 9 | 2 |
| MACROOM | 18 | 9 |
| MALLOW | 35 | 11 |
| MANORHAMILTON | 0 | 0 |
| MIDLETON | 27 | 11 |
| MONAGHAN | 9 | 3 |
| MULLINGAR | 21 | 7 |
| NAAS | 48 | 26 |
| NENAGH | 6 | 0 |
| NEWCASTLE WEST | 12 | 3 |
| NAVAN | 52 | 10 |
| PORTLAOISE | 19 | 9 |
| ROSCOMMON | 10 | 5 |
| SKIBBEREEN | 0 | 0 |
| SLIGO | 12 | 4 |
| STROKESTOWN | 2 | 1 |
| SWINFORD | 0 | 0 |
| THURLES | 26 | 4 |
| TIPPERARY | 4 | 1 |
| TRALEE | 26 | 2 |
| TRIM | 7 | 2 |
| TUAM | 17 | 8 |
| TUBBERCURRY | 4 | 2 |
| TULLAMORE | 22 | 16 |
| VIRGINIA | 11 | 2 |
| WEXFORD | 34 | 12 |
| WICKLOW | 7 | 1 |
| WESTPORT | 1 | 1 |
| WATERFORD CITY | 43 | 8 |
| YOUGHAL | 4 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 1,932 | 588 |