asked the Minister for Justice if, in view of the violent assaults on gardaí on Border duty recently and the danger of a recurrence of such incidents, he will state the action, if any, he intends to take to protect gardaí on such duty against such violence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Protection.
90.
I assume that the question refers to three incidents that have occurred within the past ten days near the Border when members of the Garda Síochána were confronted and assaulted by armed men. These are very serious incidents—especially, needless to say, the firing of shots—but the question of action to protect the gardaí in such circumstances raises important issues of a fundamental nature.
The situation that has now arisen is not a new one. Since the foundation of the State the Garda Síochána have been an unarmed force and on a great many occasions down the years they have had to face armed men in the discharge of their duties. They have courageously and successfully faced such challenges in the past and they are doing so again to-day. I am sure that I am expressing the wish of the entire House when I take this opportunity to pay them that deserved tribute. It is the policy of the Government that the Garda Síochána should continue to be an unarmed police force and my information is that policy has consistently been and still is strongly supported at all levels within the Garda Síochána. I must emphasise that there is continuous and very close co-operation between the Garda and the Army both at operational and planning levels. The extent of the assistance that is appropriate or best in any particular situation is a matter for professional assessment by the Garda in consultation where necessary with the Army.
For obvious reasons I could not agree to reveal full details about the nature and extent of the assistance that the Army are providing for the Garda or to give information regarding the circumstances in which the Garda would seek such assistance, or as to changes that may be made from time to time in regard to the arrangements that exist, as such information would be liable to be of substantial benefit to illegal groups. I can, however, give the House my unqualified assurance that co-operation between the two Forces—the Garda and the Army—is excellent.
We on this side of the House, deplore these attacks on gardaí, from whatever source, and we should like to be associated with the remarks of the Minister in his tribute to the bravery of the gardaí in their service to the State over the years. The Minister does mention the matter of the Army in the context of his reply. Could he say what is the procedure for calling the Army to the assistance of the Garda? Could he give us some indication in this matter? I appreciate the delicacy of my question but there appears to be some concern about the elaborateness or otherwise of the procedure of the Garda calling the Army to their assistance. Is there any difficulty there?
I am not aware of any concern and I am certainly not aware of any difficulty in this regard. As I have said in my reply there is continuous and very close co-operation between the Garda and Army both at operational and planning levels. My advice is that this co-operation works in practice extremely well and to the satisfaction of both forces.
For instance, at checkpoints along the Border, at night time particularly, are Army personnel present with Garda personnel at each checkpoint?
That seems to be a separate question.
I am just trying to be helpful in this matter.
Quite clearly, I am unable to say how any particular checkpoint is manned at any particular time. But the point I should make and which possibly the Deputy is seeking to elicit from me is that if the Garda want Army presence at any time it is readily and speedily available.
Could I ask the Minister if his attention has been drawn to an incident along the Border where an unarmed detective-sergeant disarmed an armed man and if the Minister would care to make any comment on it?
I am aware of the incident. It confirms what I have said of the courageous way in which the Garda face such challenges today as they have done in the past. I should like to take this opportunity of congratulating the officer in question for his personal bravery. Indeed, I think it would be no harm if I were to mention at this stage a news item that appeared in today's papers. This item, which seemed to me to receive an inordinately small amount of attention from the media, dealt with the seizure by the guards yesterday of the largest amount of ammunition they have yet seized, together with a very large amount of explosive material. This practical example of police efficiency received little attention in comparison with other incidents where gardaí are attacked or embarrassed.
Is the Minister satisfied with Garda living and office accommodation generally around the Border area, having regard to the large increase in the number on duty in those areas?
That is a separate question.
The Deputy will have heard me, in my Estimate speech, indicate my dissatisfaction with Garda accommodation generally and, in the course of which, I indicated the steps that had been taken to improve this. Extra demands are being made on Garda stations and Garda space, particularly in the Border areas. I have expressed my concern that as much as possible be done to alleviate any hardship that might result to the Garda.