asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made in carrying out an evaluation of the neighbourhood watch system.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Neighbourhood Watch.
4.
(Limerick East): The study in question, which is being carried out by the community relations section of the Garda Síochána and which has the aim of establishing, in quantifiable terms, the effect which the scheme is having on crime prevention and on relations between the community and the force, is now at the stage where questionnaires are being tested and validated.
Accordingly, it will be some time yet before the outcome will be known.
Is the Minister aware that there is only one scheme in operation in Cork although a number of areas indicated their interest in becoming involved? Is it proposed to extend the scheme to those areas? I should like the Minister to comment on the fact that the scheme is not in operation in local housing estates. Is there any reason for that?
(Limerick East): The scheme is available to all communities and, in particular, to urban communities. There is no reason why it could not be extended to other communities in Cork city. I am not aware of any difficulty but I will bring the Deputy's views to the attention of the public relations section of the Garda Síochána who are responsible. Schemes have been set up in corporation and council estates. As a matter of fact, one of the more successful pilot schemes was set up in a corporation estate in Dublin. There is not a policy to confine the scheme to private housing estates. It is a matter for the local people in co-operation with the Garda to set it up in their communities.
Is the Minister satisfied that all Garda resources in terms of manpower are available in areas where the scheme is operating? I am aware that on at least one occasion recently gardaí involved in the scheme in the Finglas area were not replaced when they went ill, were transferred and so on.
(Limerick East): I am assured by the Garda authorities that they have sufficient manpower and equipment to service not only the schemes currently in operation but those in the pipeline. I should like to make the point that in an emergency gardaí would be withdrawn from normal duty and that will have to continue.
Will the Minister agree that the scheme is being taken up principally in middle class areas? Will he agree that areas like Blackrock and Donnybrook have had a big uptake and that there is a slow uptake in local authority housing estates? Will the Minister give some consideration to giving assistance to such areas? The reason may be that the uptake was quickest where people were well organised and were coming forward. In due course other areas will come in, but the Minister should give some assistance to encourage local authority housing estates to become involved.
(Limerick East): The pilot schemes were running up to about May and then the national scheme was launched in May and June. It is too early to say that a pattern has emerged but I will bear in mind what the Deputy has said.
I should like to appeal to the Deputies to keep their supplementary questions short and refrain from making mini-speeches because we will not make progress otherwise.