Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 14 Mar 1991

Vol. 406 No. 5

Adjournment Debate. - Bunclody (Wexford) Crime.

Mr. Browne

(Wexford): Thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, for having given me the opportunity to raise this serious issue on the Adjournment.

A heading in the local newspaper today reads "Bunclody Angry at Mounting Crime Wave". In the past six months there has been a serious escalation of crime in Bunclody town and surrounding areas. Whereas there were 36 reported burglaries for the full year last year there have been 16 in the first two months of this year, demonstrating that there has been a dramatic increase in this area, that is pertaining to supermarkets, shops, petrol stations, private houses, all hit by individuals or gangs operating in this area. People are living in fear and old people afraid to open their doors at night because of this problem.

There was a major robbery in Bunclody last week of antiques worth thousands of pounds; some estimates have been at over £80,000. Three gardaí working in the area are doing their best but are unable to cope. For some reason best known to the Department of Justice the sergeant who had been living in Bunclody was transferred some time ago to Gorey. I would ask the Minister to reappoint a sergeant to Bunclody on a permanent basis. There is no doubt but that the services of a sergeant are needed there and that there has been a serious crime problem since the departure of the one who had been there.

There is need for an increased Garda presence in the Bunclody area, a need for night patrols which could be made possible by bringing in patrol cars from adjoining areas. In the past year generally there has been a decrease in crime in County Wexford. Therefore it should be possible to deploy extra gardaí to counteract the problem being encountered in Bunclody. I would ask the Minister to seriously consider the reappointment of a Garda sergeant to Bunclody, to appoint extra gardaí on a short term basis to deal with this problem and bring in extra patrol cars at night to deal with the position obtaining. I have no doubt but that this problem can be tackled.

Perhaps the Minister could inform the House whether local gangs or gangs coming in from outside are causing this problem. Regardless of who the culprits are, it is essential that it be tackled head-on and that the three gardaí at present operating in Bunclody be given the necessary back-up facilities to do so, allowing the people in the area live a normal life and not be subjected to the harassment these burglaries of the past three or four months have caused them.

I thank the Minister for making time available to hear my case in the House.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

I fully appreciate the effect an increase in crime can have on a rural community. We are fortunate in this country in that the vast majority of our rural communities enjoy a relatively crime-free life by international standards; that is as it should be. I share the determination of the Garda authorities to ensure that our rural communities continue to enjoy that quality of life.

The Bunclody area is typical of many other rural areas in so far as crime is concerned. Over the past three years there has been an average of two to three only indictable crimes per month reported to Bunclody station. The recent increase in the number of burglaries and larcenies in the area is well outside the normal crime pattern for Bunclody and demands a specific response, as has been requested by Deputy Seán Browne.

I can assure Deputy Browne that the Garda authorities are providing this response by way of special policing measures to meet the circumstances prevailing. Of course it would not be appropriate for me to go into too much detail on the precise measures being taken by local Garda officers in order to respond to the crime problem being encountered in Bunclody. However, I can say that, so far, two juveniles have been brought before the courts in respect of ten of the 23 crimes committed in Bunclody this year and a definite line of inquiry is being followed in relation to a number of other offences. In particular attention is being given by local gardaí to investigation of the burglary on Tuesday last — to which Deputy Browne referred — in which valuable antique items were taken. A special team, comprising two detective gardaí and an extra uniformed garda, have been allocated to Bunclody on a temporary basis to assist the local gardaí in relation to this and other crimes. I am assured that no effort is being spared in the active pursuit of these investigations. I might mention also that the Bunclody area is receiving priority attention by crime prevention patrols operating from the district headquarters station in Gorey.

On the question of appointing a Garda sergeant to Bunclody, the position is that the Garda authorities are not at present in a position to assign a full-time sergeant to the town but they have arranged for the sergeant in charge of Gorey to be given responsibility for the supervision of the Bunclody area. The question of assigning a sergeant to Bunclody is being considered in the light of overall demands on Garda services in the Wexford Garda Division. In the meantime the Garda authorities consider that the policing needs of the area are being met satisfactorily by the three gardaí assigned to Bunclody and by the temporary assignments I mentioned earlier. These arrangements will continue to be kept under review. I will bring Deputy Browne's strong submission here this afternoon to the attention of the Garda Commissioner and will communicate further with him on the matter.