andMr. White asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí transferred to County Donegal, either on permanent or special duties, during the last four months; and the percentage such a movement constitutes of the total percentage of transfers for the previous twelve months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Garda Transfers.
24.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that during the four months ended 30 November the number of members transferred permanently to the Donegal Division was 29. During the same period, 407 members were transferred temporarily to the Division for special duties which related almost exclusively to a series of events requiring Garda attention during the month of August. These events included the Fleadh Cheoil in Buncrana, the hotel fire in Bundoran and the murder of a UDR man in Pettigo.
I understand that the number of permanent transfers represents 33 per cent of the number of such transfers to the Division in the 12 months ended 30 November 1980, and that apart from the temporary transfers which I have mentioned, there were no other temporary transfers to the Division in that 12 month period.
Is it the policy of the Minister and the Department, when he is assigning a special task force to County Donegal, to recruit gardaí from outside or inside the Donegal division? In other words, will the Minister increase Garda membership in County Donegal?
The task force in Donegal will comprise members of the Garda Síochána from within that division.
So it is robbing Peter to pay Paul?
In each division in rural Ireland a similar type task force is being set up. It is not a question of robbing Peter to pay Paul. If an additional 18 gardaí were to be brought into Donegal to replace the 18 that will still be working in the Donegal division as members of the task force, those 18 would have to be taken from some other division.
In view of the figures which the Minister has given, particularly the 33 per cent, which is very high, and also in view of the fact that the Association of Garda Inspectors and Sergeants have stated that morale is dangerously low in the Garda, does he accept that this extraordinary percentage of transfers, linked in some degree with the by-election in Donegal, could breed cynicism about the reasons why the Department and the Garda Commissioner are transferring gardaí? Should that not be dispelled by not allowing a recurrence?
I thank the Deputy for having given me an opportunity to state clearly and categorically that gardaí were not transferred into Donegal for duty in connection with the by-election, though I understand that 15 gardaí were transferred into Donegal to cover polling booths on the day of the election.
That was not my suggestion. I am asking the Minister, purely for the sake of Garda morale, if he agrees that the extraordinary high percentage of transfers each year is in some degree evidence for those who would suggest that some of the transfers were for expediency.
That is argument.
I gave the Deputy the figure of 407 temporary transfers. One of the duties involved was the Fleadh Cheoil, and I understand there were almost 250 gardaí involved in Buncrana that weekend.
Am I right in thinking that originally when the Minister announced the setting up of the special task force he gave the impression that they would be in addition to the ordinary membership of the Garda — that extra men would be deployed in areas like Donegal? Now we have been told that the special task force will be recruited from within the division. What does the Minister propose to achieve by that?
I propose to achieve the creation of divisional task forces throughout the country. That is my purpose.
So it is robbing Peter to pay Paul.