asked the Minister for Justice if he will bring the Finglas Garda station into the jurisdiction of the Dublin Metropolitan District Court district in order to increase the efficiency of law enforcement in the area.
15.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Finglas (Dublin) Garda Station.
14.
asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí at present attached to Finglas Garda station, Dublin; if he intends to increase this number; and, if so, when.
16.
asked the Minister for Justice the number of squad cars attached to Finglas Garda station.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 15 and 16 together.
The present strength of Finglas Garda station is 38. The commissioner is of opinion that the area is being given a reasonably adequate service having regard to the demands on available police resources. The position in Finglas and in other areas is, however, kept under constant review.
There are three patrol cars and three motor cycles allocated to the Garda district in which Finglas is situate. One of the cars and a motor cycle are based at Finglas station.
The Committee on Court Practice and Procedure have recommended an extension of the Dublin Metropolitan District Court district to include virtually the whole of Dublin County and this recommendation is under examination.
Would the Minister be in a position to state when the metropolitan district will be extended to include the Finglas area?
I cannot give any definite date to the Deputy, because there are considerable complications about extending the metropolitan district. These are being examined at the moment. It is not just a question of making a statutory instrument to extend it; the licensing laws will have to be amended by an Act of the Oireachtas as well.
The Minister is aware that the Finglas district is within the metropolitan area for civil administration and that there is great inconvenience caused here because a substation of the metropolitan district is situated in an area where the metropolitan bye-laws do not apply. There is a certain amount of difficulty associated with this.
There is no more difficulty there than anywhere else in the country outside the Dublin Metropolitan District. Finglas is not any worse off than any other suburbs in Dublin.
The fact that the Minister has stated that the 38 personnel allocated to the Finglas area are a reasonable number considering the amount of resources in manpower available to his Department is an indication to me that he is quite satisfied there are not sufficient men in that area. As there are not sufficient men in that area——
The Deputy may not discuss the matter. He may put a question.
As there are not sufficient men in that area does the Minister not think——
The Deputy would be wrong in assuming that I think that.
The Minister stated it in his reply. It is a pity the Minister did not answer the questions separately and they could be dealt with separately. In view of the fact, first, that the station is undermanned and, secondly, that it is a substation of a metropolitan district dealing with county bye-laws, the Minister should see that the staff is increased.
There is no such thing as county bye-laws.