asked the Minister for Justice if, in view of the frequent violent attacks on citizens particularly on women in Dublin city and of the damage to property by vandals, he will consider ordering an increase of Garda patrols after 6 p.m.
34.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Crime Prevention.
33.
asked the Minister for Justice if, in view of the difficulty in patrolling all areas of Dublin by Gardaí, he will consider organising a corps of vigilantes to assist the Gardaí in their work.
35.
asked the Minister for Justice if he has any plans for coping with growing vandalism and rowdyism in Dublin city and suburbs; and if he will increase the number of Gardaí on foot patrol in these areas.
36.
asked the Minister for Justice at what date he expects to bring into operation the new measures to stop crimes of violence discussed recently by him with the Garda authorities; and if he will give details of these measures.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 to 36 together.
I am glad to have the opportunity to say that there has not, in fact, been any significant increase in crimes of violence in Dublin in recent years. Furthermore, the detection rate in such crimes is exceptionally high. In the year ended 30th September last, out of 524 assaults reported to the police in Dublin 490 were detected, a detection rate of 93 per cent. It is inevitable, perhaps, that if an old person is assaulted, the assault will be prominently featured in newspapers, while the subsequent arrest, if reported at all, will often get no comparable publicity. I am not criticising newspapers for this—I appreciate that they have to take account of the news-value of a story—but the problem is a real one for the police who often find that members of the public get the impression that crimes of violence on a wide scale are going undetected. This is certainly not so.
I have had a conference with the Garda authorities and I am satisfied that the police machine is functioning well. By international standards, our crime rate is low and our detection rate high. To achieve any very substantial improvement would require a huge addition to the police force which the taxpayer could not reasonably be asked to pay for.
Greater efficiency is constantly being sought, and I have asked the Garda authorities to concentrate particularly on seeking to improve patrols after 6 p.m. Steps have already been taken on those lines. As regards the merits of foot patrols or patrols by squad cars, the police attitude, which I think will commend itself to most people who study the problem, is that both foot patrols and car patrols have a legitimate place and complement each other.
Apart from the efforts to improve patrols after 6 p.m. special measures have now been taken to strengthen the Central Detective Unit so as to increase its capacity to deal with particular kinds of crime such as robberies.
In addition to these measures. I believe that it may be possible to improve the facilities available to the police in the prevention and detection of crime and, as an immediate measure, I am considering the provision of walkie-talkie equipment for men on the beat. As a longer-term project, I am having an examination made of the feasibility of setting up a proper forensic science laboratory to provide the police with scientific aids in the many fields not at present covered.
I have, also, under active consideration the question whether the existing law unduly and unreasonably restricts the police in matters such as the arrest of suspects and searches of premises etc., and when my examination of the matter is complete I may be proposing certain changes in the law.
I do not think the appointment of vigilantes is either necessary or desirable. The best way the public can assist is to take all reasonable precautions and to use the "999" telephone service when the need arises.
I have referred primarily to crimes of violence. What is loosely termed yandalism or rowdyism is often the work of young children and often involves no criminal offence at all. When it does, the kind of offence is usually almost impossible for the police to prevent or detect. The police are doing a good deal to help in the formation and running of boys' clubs and it is on these lines that effective action can best be taken.