Vol. 504 No. 2
48 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of multi-agency checkpoints operated by the gardaí in co-operation with officials from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in 1998 and the first three months in 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11472/99]
A total of 20 multi-agency checkpoints, 12 in 1998 and eight to date in 1999, involving the gardaí, the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of the Environment and Local Government, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs have been mounted in 1998 and 1999 to date in counties Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Monaghan, Cavan, Louth and Meath.
The gardaí have given the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the other agencies mentioned above the opportunity to be involved in the operation of multi-agency checkpoints. The purpose of the checkpoints is to monitor compliance with various enactments. Each agency exercises the option to participate, as its own operational needs require, and operates in accordance with the law relating to its own area of responsibility. I wish to emphasise, so as to avoid any confusion in this regard, that it is not the function of the Garda Síochána to carry out spot checks on social welfare recipients. The role of the gardaí in multi-agency checkpoints is to monitor compliance with the Road Traffic Acts.
