asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement indicating the progress he is making in reducing serious crime in the city and county of Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Area Crime.
17.
The prevention and detection of crime are, of course, primarily matters for the Garda Síochána. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the provisional figures for recorded indictable crime in the Dublin Metropolitan Area for the first nine months of this year indicate an increase over the figures for the corresponding period in 1987, which are a cause of concern. This upward trend has become evident only in the current year.
The Garda authorities have assured me that they have taken a number of positive steps to address the situation. Each district officer in the DMA has recently prepared a programme of measures designed to reduce the incidence of crimes that most affect his district and particular attention is being given to the problem of crimes of violence. I consider that it would be counterproductive were I to disclose the content of these plans. I will say only that they contain quite specific measures designed to meet the circumstances peculiar to each district in the DMA. More Garda resources are also being devoted to crime prevention in the DMA in the current year, with the continued expansion of the neighbourhood watch scheme and the extension of community policing to a number of new areas.
The Garda continually monitor the crime situation in Dublin and elsewhere and they will continue to assess and adapt their strategies for dealing with changing crime patterns as needs dictate. Their ability and readiness to adapt to changing circumstances has brought success in relation to crime problems in the past and I am confident that they will respond successfully to the increase in crime which is becoming evident at present. I will, of course, be keeping in close touch with developments.
I thank the Minister for the reply. Would he not agree that there are appalling problems in Dublin? The figures he has just quoted show an increase in 1988 over 1987 but he did not say that there was also an increase in crime in 1987 over 1986. Since the Government took up office there has been a complete breakdown in regard to the fight against crime, in Dublin city area in particular. Would the Minister agree that this is a result of lack of commitment on the part of the Government towards providing the necessary resources for the Garda Síochána to do their job? This includes the recruitment, or non-recruitment, policy that they are pursuing and their failure to fill various vacancies such as those of sergeant, inspector and superintendent.
This is becoming a very long question.
Would the Minister not further agree, when he says that there are other plans coming out, that at this stage the public are totally confused as to what plans are in place? Every day on reading our newspapers we find that this or that task force are being changed or abolished and that——
I must ask for pertinent and relevant questions, without speech making.
Finally, evidence is also present that in the crime prevention area there is a decrease in the budget in 1989 for the probation and welfare office area, a decrease——
Deputy Barrett is going much too far and he knows it.
There is also abolition of the——
I am sorry, Deputy Barrett, this is making a mockery of Question Time.
The Minister for Labour made a statement.
I will not tolerate it.
The incidence of armed raids decreased in 1987 by 15 per cent. There has been a reduction of 21.7 per cent in terms of money stolen but there is a problem, I agree. It is a problem particularly to Dublin, because in the rest of the country there is a decline of 4.3 per cent in the number of crimes committed.
Recorded crimes.
Needless to say, the new Garda Commissioner will have his own approach to this problem. Measures are being taken by the Garda in relation to the neighbourhood watch schemes and community policing. The neighbourhood watch schemes have been very widely accepted and cover a large number of households. There are 544 schemes involving 136,266 households in Dublin. These schemes have been very successful generally. Communities are quite enthusiastic about them.
In addition, community policing trials are going on in a number of locations and these locations are being extended. I happen to be familiar with a number of these because of being familiar with extremely high crime areas. They are being very successful, in my opinion. The fact that the Garda are extending them further at this stage indicates that they are considered worth while. I would expect that with the various trials and other developments which have recently taken place, the Garda will be in a better position to get on top of the situation.
Would the Minister accept that an imbalance in crime and Garda coverage exists in certain areas? Last year the imbalance was of 57 per cent of crime being committed in Dublin and 35 or 36 per cent of the Garda Force being stationed in Dublin. As his figures now show, that imbalance is increasing with the increase in crime in Dublin and the decrease in crime outside Dublin. Would the Minister indicate to the House that that would be very much taken into account in considering the allocation of further gardaí to Dublin? Would he ensure that the neighbourhood watch schemes are able to take effect and that there will be liaison officers available? In order that neighbourhood policing can take effect, one needs gardaí on the ground and in particular areas — in my own constituency, for instance — that is not the case.
Brevity, please.
There are huge numbers being catered for by small numbers of gardaí. I would ask the Minister to correct that imbalance.
I shall certainly convey the views of the Deputy to the Minister. I am sure that the Garda authorities will note the views which have been expressed here in relation to the differences between certain city areas — and the DMA in particular — and other parts of the country. The Minister has made arrangements for the recruitment of further gardaí, so at least that process is under way.
For 1991.
After three years?
Does the Minister agree that but for the creation of the neighbourhood watch schemes this country would be out of control as regards crime? I am reassured that he expresses concern about the spate of crimes in Dublin, particularly. That concern is not shared by his absent colleagues. There is not one question down on today's Order Paper from a Fianna Fáil Deputy, which makes me wonder if they are really out of touch or are living in a kind of limbo.
Minister Bertie Ahern speaks on behalf of all his colleagues.
Uno Duce, Una voce
I can assure the Deputy that the Fianna Fáil Deputies are very much in touch.
There are no Wicklow mountains.
They are very close to the grassroots. The Deputy need have no concern in that direction at all and this will remain so. In relation to the neighbourhood watch scheme and the extent to which it has been of benefit, I would agree with the Deputy. Also community policing may be of further benefit when it is extended and the Garda have had an opportunity to prove and test it further. I would remind the Deputy that I was chairman of the committee that prepared the first report on this matter — and it was an all-party committee — on the desirability of the neighbourhood watch system and also of the community policing methods. The Garda have one scheme well under way. They are trying another scheme at the moment and as far as I can see it seems to be going very well. It is now a matter for the new commissioner to judge the position.
May we come to deal with Question No. 18 in the name of Deputy Gemma Hussey?