asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider the expansion of the numerical strength of the Ban-Ghardaí in the Dublin city area with a view to dealing more adequately with the problem of women who are charged with or suspected of soliciting.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ban-Ghardaí.
5.
As the Deputy will appreciate, this is a very complex problem and, because of certain aspects of it, there is at least a serious doubt about the proposition that BanGhardaí can be of more assistance in curbing it than male gardaí.
In fact, some extra gardaí—that is, male gardaí—were recently assigned to this work.
I appreciate what the Minister has already done in this matter but I am assured by competent social workers that some of these women have mental problems and to my own knowledge they are being cruelly exploited by gangsters and pimps, both native and foreign, and we want an advisory service. The Minister might take a new approach by having this advisory service constituted of women rather than the traditional approach of just arresting these unfortunates. Would the Minister also take steps to deport the foreign gangsters and pimps who are exploiting these women?
The Deputy can be assured that if any such people were convicted they would be deported. In regard to the other matters raised by the Deputy, I suggest these are sociomedico matters which are not within the competence of the Ban-Ghardaí. They would be matters more properly for the Eastern Health Board.