I move: "That a sum not exceeding £197,537 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1924, for the salaries and expenses of the Commissioner of Police, the Police Courts, and Metropolitan Police Establishment of Dublin." (£130,000 had been voted on account.)
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. - DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE.
I would just like to say a word on the traffic regulations in Dublin. Most of the accidents in Dublin are due to the lax way in which the regulations are carried out. I think the Minister ought to instruct the Commissioner strictly to enforce the traffic regulations and especially those dealing with heavy traffic. That traffic should be kept more to the pathway so as to leave more room for other cars. I hope the Commissioner will enforce that regulation.
A matter that has for very many years given rise to criticism is the appointment of hackney carriage inspectors. It is, I understand, a Statutory responsibility that a person should be appointed as hackney carriage inspector, whose duty it is to see to the quality of the vehicle, its soundness, sanitary condition, etc., but not strictly traffic regulation. I am led to understand that the appointment is in the hands of the Commissioner or is delegated to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Hitherto the appointment has been invariably made of a policeman, who is set apart for the purpose. The contention is made by those who understand the requirements of this inspectorship that it should in all cases be of a man who knows something about the requirements of coach, cab, or other car, and that he should be, in fact, a man who has some technical knowledge. I think the complaint is a sound one, and the demand is a just one. It will make for more efficient inspection and greater comfort for the travelling public, and, without going into further details, I would ask the Minister responsible if he would consider this question with a view to amending the faulty practice of the past in this matter. Perhaps it might be desirable to present him with more information, if he has not already looked up the old files. I think they are voluminous, but I daresay it might be better to begin by restating the case and starting a new file of matter. We discussed this Vote last year, and in the course of that discussion I raised the question of the Women Police, and suggested it would be a good practice to follow if the Commissioner responsible would submit to the Department, and through the Department to the Dáil and public, a report or a review of the work. It may be that on this occasion such review and report may well be skipped, but I would like to hear from the Minister whether this matter of women police— women patrols as they were called—has been a success from the Commissioners' point of view, whether it is likely to be extended, or, on the other hand, if the decrease from 6 to 4 this year is merely a forecast of the complete abolition of this force. I am not sure whether it should come under this vote, I think it should, but I raise the question of the Children's Courts and would like to say that there is a desire amongst those who study these problems that the Children's Court idea should be more fully developed and that there should be a still further movement away from the character of the police court, the magistracy, and the rest in dealing with children's cases. I am told that, even yet, there is rather too much of the atmosphere of a criminal court, and that there is a good deal of room for improvement in respect of the change from that atmosphere to the atmosphere rather of a stern parent than of a judge on the bench in dealing with children's cases.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
On the question of inspection of vehicles, hackney cars and carriages, etc., the only distinct recollection I have on this head is a request from the Bray Urban Council that this duty should be discharged by the Civic Guard. The particular office, I think, had fallen vacant through a death, and the view of the Urban Council was that they should ask the Civic Guard to undertake those duties. I think also that I am not mistaken in my recollection that that request was refused after consultation with the Commissioner of the Civic Guard, and that the local authority was pressed to continue to bear the burden of that particular duty. Here in the city, I think, that the Deputy is right that the police authorities have been making appointments habitually. I would undertake to have the view which he has expressed considered by my Department, and generally such criticisms as have been made upon matters for which we are responsible. I will see that the remarks and suggestions of Deputies get every consideration, including the references to the Children's Courts. I am very sorry that although a year has passed since Deputy Johnson referred to the matter of women police, I have quite neglected to go into the question. I think, perhaps, before these Estimates come round again the Department will have more opportunity of considering the matter. My impression of these four women who are at present attached to the D.M.P. is that they are not used on any fixed duties, that occasions arise on which it is necessary to have women on a particular job, rather than male constables, and they simply go here and there in that way. I do not think that any regular patrol work is carried out by them but it is rather in dealing with women prisoners who are brought to stations, etc., that they are employed. I will look into the matter and get the view of the Commissioner as to whether any extension of the idea of having women on police duty is advisable, or whether he thinks on the contrary, that with the exception of having a few women to deal with women prisoners it may be left as it is.
The Minister is aware, of course, that this question has been the subject of a great deal of discussion in cities across the water, and that head constables there have different views as to their utility. What I desired was to have some expression of opinion from the responsible officers of the D.M.P. in this matter.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I think myself that women police would probably have dealt successfully with, for instance, the painting of the walls of Trinity College.
Question put, and agreed to.