asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that there is a considerable number of applications for replacement of lost or damaged ration books; that residents of West Dublin are obliged to journey to the Kevin Street Garda Síochána station for their forms and to have them vouched; and whether, in view of the inconveniences and hardships so caused, he will make provision to have these applications dealt with at local Garda Síochána stations.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Replacement of Ration Books.
I assume that the Deputy's inquiry refers to applications by residents in "A" District of the Dublin Metropolitan Garda area, in which district there are three Garda Síochána stations, Kevin Street, Kilmainham and Newmarket.
The recent marked increase in the volume of applications for replacement of lost or damaged ration books in the area in question imposed an undue strain on the limited facilities for dealing with such applications at the Kilmainham and Newmarket Garda stations and the Garda Commissioner found it necessary to divert all applications by residents of the area to Kevin Street Garda station.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, is the Minister aware of the hardships and inconveniences which the working class are put to in the areas of Inchicore, Crumlin and Chapelizod in having to go to Kevin Street, in the first place, to apply for the form, then to fill it up and to have it signed by a peace commissioner and then to bring it back to Kevin Street again? The Minister is aware that the head of the house is at work, in all probability, and it remains for the wife to undertake these journeys at a time when she has other work to do and it is a considerable hardship. If there is a strain — and I believe that there is — on the Garda authorities then having to deal with it all in one station makes it all the more onerous, while people have to stand in a queue to wait their turn for a considerable time.
The total number of persons from Inchicore area who made application for the replacement of ration books at Kevin Street station was 13. It is desirable that people should not lose or damage their ration books. The arrangements dealing with the matter are entirely the responsibility of the Garda authorities and they had serious grounds for making the change from Kilmainham and Newmarket stations where the facilities were completely inadequate.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, if any of this work was done at Kilmainham station, it was done satisfactorily and there were no complaints, but now, in this very bad weather, it is a hardship on people and the Minister ought to reconsider the matter.
Could not the police authority be made a witnessing authority and thus dispense with the peace commissioner?
It is not desired to make it easy for people to replace lost and damaged ration books. People should be encouraged not to lose or damage their ration books.
It is not desirable that people who have genuinely lost their ration books should be put to hardship and inconvenience.
But there is a possibility that some of them are people who have not lost their ration books.
That is not obviated by having a peace commissioner. The peace commissioner does not know the people for whom he signs the forms.
Is the Minister going to have the matter reconsidered?
The Garda authorities have objected to having this work done at Kilmainham because of the absence of suitable facilities.
Quite the contrary. It was done at Kilmainham to the general satisfaction until it was moved to Kevin Street.
There were complaints from the Garda authorities that it interfered with ordinary Garda work.
To have to go from Crumlin to Kevin Street is a definite hardship.