asked the Minister for Justice if he will accede to the request of the representative association of the North Wall area, Dublin, with regard to their suggestion for a special Garda sub-Station in the Sheriff Street area, to be manned 24 hours a day; if he will consider the association's letter to him outlining suggestions and ideas on how to tackle the difficulties of the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Dublin Garda Sub-Station.
363.
The Garda authorities consider that the provision of a sub-station in the Sheriff Street area would not be warranted at present and that the existing arrangements whereby the area is served from Store Street station make the best use of available police resources. One of the difficulties about providing a new station in any area is that the members necessary for station duty would have to be supplied from existing Garda strength in the Dublin Metropolitan Area, thereby reducing the number of men available for outdoor police duties.
Special measures have been taken by the Garda to deal with the incidence of crime in the area and every effort is being made to maintain a high level of patrolling there on a 24-hour basis having regard to overall resources and other demands on Garda services.
As regards the association's suggestions relating to custodial care, the position is that the provision of custodial care for children between seven and 16 years is primarily a matter for the Minister for Education. Loughan House is being operated by my Department as a special school for boys between 12 and 16 years as an interim measure pending the building of a new school by the Department of Education at Lusk. The old St. Vincent's School premises, which were mentioned by the association in this context, have been acquired by my Department for a staff training school and for prison staff housing.