asked the Minister for Justice (a) the number of Garda stations in the country, (b) the number of these stations in which there is only one member of the Garda Síochána stationed and (c) the number of stations where there is more than one member stationed, but where only one officer is on duty at any time.
Written Answers. - Garda Síochána.
590.
Limerick East): There are 700 Garda stations in the State and the Garda authorities report that at present 110 of these stations have a strength of only one member.
Because the number of members on duty in a particular station can vary from time to time depending on such factors as the available resources, local circumstances, demands on Garda services and the time of the day or night, the Garda authorities are not in a position to give the figure sought at part (c) of the question.
591.
asked the Minister for Justice the number of chief superintendents and how these are allocated throughout the country.
Limerick East): There are 45 posts of chief superintendent in the force. At present the number of members of the rank actually serving is 42 and they are deployed as follows: Garda Divisions (of which there are 23, each in the charge of a Chief Superintendent — 22 (1 Vacancy); Garda Headquarters — 15 (2 Vacancies); Dublin Metropolitan Area Headquarters — 3; Templemore (Training Centre and Garda College) — 2.
592.
asked the Minister for Justice the Garda regulations, if any, that exist in respect of the following specific matters governing persons held in Garda custody: the right of a person in Garda custody to (a) have his solicitor and a member of his family or friend informed that he has been taken into custody; (b) receive a visit from and consult privately with his solicitor; (c) receive a visit from a member of his family or friend; and (d) be informed that he is entitled to communicate with his family, friend, legal or medical adviser, or to send for a bailsman.
Limerick East): There are no statutory regulations on the matters in question, some of which are governed by the law. The gardaí have instructions as to how to deal with persons in custody but these are for the internal guidance of the force and the precise content of such instructions (which are more restrictive on members of the force than the law would require) have always been treated as confidential.
However most of the items mentioned are the subject of an information leaflet which is given to persons taken into custody and which is in effect a public document and I am arranging to have a copy of the leaflet sent to the Deputy.
All of these matters will fall to be reviewed on the enactment of the Criminal Justice Bill, including the information leaflet which in any event needs to be brought up to date in certain respects.
593.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will ensure the continuation of a Garda presence at Kilmore Quay, County Wexford, as up to very recently a sergeant and garda were based there, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Limerick East): The Garda authorities report that there are no proposals to close the local station. They report that the current strength of one garda at Kilmore Quay is considered reasonably adequate to meet the police needs of the area having regard to the fact that the area also receives attention from mobile patrols operated from Rosslare Pier station and from units based at the divisional headquarters at Wexford.
The detailed deployment of Garda manpower is a matter for the Garda authorities who review the strength assigned to individual areas from to time to take account of changing needs and circumstances and the question of allocating additional manpower to Kilmore Quay is being kept under review.
594.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide in the light of recent events and the demands of local people a Garda station and a Garda presence in the village of Fethard-on-Sea, New Ross, County Wexford.
Limerick East): I am informed by the Garda authorities that they consider that the current arrangement whereby Fethard-on-Sea is served from Duncannon station makes the best use of available Garda resources and that the provision of a Garda station in Fethard-on-Sea would not be warranted at present.
Apart from the service provided from Duncannon station, Fethard-on-Sea receives attention from the patrol car based at Campile station and assistance is available from the district headquarters at New Ross as and when required.
595.
asked the Minister for Justice the unit of gardaí that questioned and searched the home of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 on Thursday evening 10 November 1983; and the reason for this.
Limerick East): I am informed by the Garda authorities that on 10 November 1983, members of the Drugs Squad carried out a search at the home of the person in question on foot of a warrant issued pursuant to section 26 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977. I am further informed that a member of the search party identified the group as being from the drugs squad and displayed the warrant to the householder. The authorities state, however, that when the householder subsequently sought to confirm from the office of the drugs squad that it was their members that were involved, she was informed in error that this was not so. The explanation for this was that the member in charge of the search party was immediately afterwards called away and engaged overnight on other duties in consequence of which he overlooked entering a note of the visit in the relevant official records.
596.
asked the Minister for Justice the total strength of the Garda Síochána on 1 January and 30 November 1983; and the expected strength on 31 December 1983.
Limerick East): The strength of the Garda Síochána on 1 January 1983 and 30 November 1983 was 10,831 and 11,247, respectively. The actual strength on 31 December 1983 will depend on whether a particular group of recruits will be appointed to the force in the last few days of December or early next month, but it is estimated that, one way or the other, the strength by mid-January will be approximately 11,320.