Vol. 421 No. 2
46 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to the suggestion made by the president of the Garda Representative Association of the recent GRA conference that a highly mobile police unit should be established capable of responding within minutes to flashpoints in any part of the Dublin metropolitan area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In 1988 the Garda authorities replaced the DMA Crime Task Force with divisional task forces. I am informed by the Garda authorities that divisional task forces are highly mobile and are set up when and where appropriate. They have proved to be very successful — for instance they have been shown to be more flexible and responsive to particular incidents than one large central police unit. Generally in relation to the question of Garda task forces it should be remembered that individual gardaí do not operate in isolation and can call on back-up at any time should the occasion demand it.
