asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide extra gardaí to combat the alarming increase in the incidence of crimes of violence against elderly people living in certain districts in County Cork.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork Crime.
27.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, several similar questions have been put down recently in respect of different areas in the country. I think that I should now give a general answer to the effect that the Garda authorities exercise a continuing supervision over the police needs of all parts of the country and the allocation of Garda resources is modified from time to time according as the needs of particular areas vary.
I might add that I arranged with the Commissioner some months ago that special attention would be given by the Garda to elderly people living alone in remote areas.
I regret that I must disagree with the Minister's reply.
We must proceed by way of question.
Can the Minister assure me that extra gardaí have been allocated to the areas mentioned in my question? There has been a dramatic increase in the type of crimes I am talking about. I know from my knowledge of areas concerned that there has been a great increase in crimes in those areas and no extra gardaí have been allocated. Not alone are elderly people living in fear but also women whose husbands are working away from home. They are living in perpetual fear of attacks from gangs who rampage around these areas. As the Minister knows, a pattern has evolved for this sort of crime in those areas in Cork, particularly east Cork, and nothing has been done by the Minister about it. Can the Minister give me figures to substantiate his claim that he has allocated extra gardaí and that there is extra surveillance in those areas?
I told the Deputy that I arranged with the Commissioners some months ago that special attention would be given by the Garda to elderly people living alone in remote areas. I have no doubt that that arrangement has been implemented. It might interest the Deputy to know that the crime provisional figures for the first quarter of 1977 compared with the first quarter for 1966 for the Cork east and west divisions show a decrease in offences against property with violence. They also show a decrease in offences against the person. That does not substantiate the allegations made by the Deputy. I quite appreciate that there were a number of disturbing assaults—I have particulars of three— against elderly people in County Cork since 1st January. I share the Deputy's concern and regret that these should have happened. The overall crime position has improved in the first quarter of this year in comparison with the same period last year. All I can say in regard to the Deputy's question, is that the Commissioner has been asked to have extra attention given to elderly people living alone.
The Deputy is speaking from personal experience of these matters. The detection rate is nil in relation to the cases mentioned.