asked the Minister for Justice the number of temporary administrative staff that have been allocated to Garda stations for clerical duty; and if they are to replace gardaí who are being transferred to Border duty.
22.
Written Answers. - Garda Manpower.
20.
asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí who have been deployed on Border duty since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement; the areas of the country from which they have been drawn; if he is aware that because of the decision, rural Garda stations are being run down because of lack of manpower, which is now leading to an increase in the crime rate in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 22 together.
It would be contrary to established practice to provide details of the number of gardaí deployed on Border duty at any particular time or to indicate the divisions from which members have been temporarily assigned to such duty.
The detailed deployment of Garda manpower is a matter for the Garda authorities who keep the policing needs of all areas under review in the light of changing needs and circumstances and, as indicated in reply to Question No. 34 on 27 November 1985, measures have been taken to ensure an adequate Garda presence in all areas.
As regards the incidence of crime in rural areas, I am informed by the Garda authorities that provisional statistics for the four-month period ending 31 January 1986 (these are the most recent general crime statistics available) show a reduction in the crime rate in most Garda divisions as compared with the four-month period which ended on 31 January 1985.
As regards Question No. 20, 112 temporary clerical trainees have been assigned to Garda offices throughout the country for training in a variety of office skills. The employment of these trainees is part of the scheme to provide work experience for young people which was announced by the Government last September in the White Paper Serving the Country Better. It is not the position that they were employed to facilitate the transfer of extra gardaí to Border divisions.