asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline in view of his statement in the course of the recent Dáil debate on security on 24 January 1984 that he does not hold out much hope of providing separate air support for the Garda in the near future, his policy in relation to the provision of an air arm and helicopter wing for the Garda.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Aerial Support.
15.
(Limerick East): As I indicated in the statement referred to, I have arranged for discussions with the Army authorities to see what in the short term the Air Corps can accord to the Garda by way of additional aerial support.
In view of the experience which the Air Corps have of operating and maintaining helicopters and having regard to the considerable financial outlay that would be required to provide the Garda with even one or two helicopters of their own, I do not think it realistic at the present time that we should depart from the current arrangements whereby the Air Corps provide this back-up service for the Garda.
Does the Minister not agree that the Garda have found in their studies and inquiries in this area in recent years that helicopters would facilitate their work greatly, especially in dealing with major armed robberies and the movement of subversives, as well as in towns outside Dublin and in perimeter areas? The Garda have found that this would be a particularly useful facility for them. Would the Minister not agree that they should be provided with a helicopter wing, however small, with back-up from the Army where appropriate?
(Limerick East): After the murders of Detective Garda Morley and Garda Byrne at Ballaghadereen on 7 July 1980 the then Taoiseach directed the Garda Commissioner to prepare a plan for dealing with serious crime, particularly armed robberies. The Garda Commissioner's plan to deal with the prevention and detection of serious crime recommended that the Garda should have their own helicopter service. Deputy Woods was a member of the Government who did not implement that recommendation. The only movement towards its implementation was that a number of foreign trips were undertaken and a total amount of £1,000 was provided in the Estimates.
Would the Minister please try to refrain from misleading the media and everyone else in this respect? Would he not agree that the normal procedure until the final decision is made about the type and nature of this equipment is to provide a sum under such a heading so that the Government of the day can allocate the appropriate amount when the decision is made? Would he agree that he has now removed this sum, thereby taking away all possibility of going ahead with the helicopter service? In any event, he has told us he will not do it.
(Limerick East): I was previously criticised by members of the Opposition for allocating a total sum of £1,000 in the 1984 Estimates to keep the matter open in the manner the Deputy suggests, as did my two immediate predecessors and the Government of which Deputy Woods was a member.
Does the Minister agree——
This is getting into argument and it is not appropriate.
Does the Minister agree that a Garda helicopter suitably equipped would have been of value to him in the Ballinamore affair?
(Limerick East): Aerial support was provided by the Air Corps on that occasion. Inquiries established that of all the police forces in Great Britain only one, the London Metropolitan Police, have two helicopters of their own. The pattern on the Continent is similar even though there are police forces of a paramilitary nature. In Denmark, for example, a country roughly similar to ours in size and population, aerial support for the police is provided by the Army.