(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for Justice the number of patrol cars operating in the Garda superintendent's district in Bailieboro, County Cavan; the number of personnel available to man these cars; and if he will give particulars of the towns covered.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers - County Cavan Garda Patrol Cars.
30.
There is one patrol car allocated to the Bailieboro Garda District which is usually manned by two gardaí on each tour of duty. The car is based at Bailieboro station where one sergeant and 13 gardaí are available to man it.
The towns covered by the patrol car are Bailieboro, Ballyjamesduff, Cootehill, Kingscourt, Virginia and Shercock. In addition, the Bailieboro Garda District is patrolled by the motor cycle attached to Virginia station and the area also receives attention from the two traffic corps cars based at Monaghan and from the detective unit car based at Cavan.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is the Minister aware that the Monaghan car to which he refers, is responsible for the entire counties of Monaghan and Cavan? Does he not think that one full-time car for the Bailieboro area, which includes Kingscourt, Mullagh, Shercock, Tullyvin, Virginia and Cootehill as well as Bailieboro and Ballyjamesduff, is totally inadequate? Is the Minister further aware that there has been a number of bank raids in separate towns in this area over the last couple of years, that there is a number of large industrial factories in the area and that there is a large number of dance halls? Does he seriously consider that one car with a two man crew, is sufficient for the area?
There is one motor car, there is a motor cycle based at Virginia, there are two traffic corps cars based in Monaghan and a detective unit car based in Cavan. I would like the Deputy to know that the Garda are quite satisfied that the number of cars is adequate to meet the patrolling needs of the Bailieboro district.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is the Minister aware that I requested the Garda authorities to provide a late night patrol in one particular town and that I was told there was only one car available and they could only do their best.
The Garda in County Cavan assure me that the facilities there are quite adequate to police the district.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is the Minister aware that there were bank raids in Shercock and in Cootehill? Will he tell me how a car which is responsible for the whole area, from the village of Tullyvin right up to Mullagh, can effectively patrol this area?
The Deputy is trying to give the impression that there are no facilities for gardaí to be mobile in the district. This is not so. There is the car which is already there, the motor cycle in Virginia, two traffic corps cars and a detective unit car. Above all, the Garda assure me they are satisfied with the number available.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister knows that the detective car is for a specific purpose and this one car is left to police effectively the whole area.
Will the Minister kindly reply to Question No. 31?
There is a 10 per cent cutback in personnel.
That is completely untrue.