Vol. 426 No. 2
37 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that on 5 February 1993, a bank (details supplied) in County Meath was robbed and that in the past few months other banks and institutions (details supplied) have been robbed; and the steps, if any, she will be taking to combat these recurrent robberies in this area.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that they are aware of the problems referred to and every attention is being given to the matter. All raids which have occurred in the area are the subject of full and thorough investigations and a number of people are currently before the courts in relation to incidents in the area.
The House will appreciate that, for obvious reasons, I cannot go into detail on all the practical Garda measures which have been and are being taken. However, these include the setting up of a special working party which will formulate methods for dealing with armed crime in the area arising out of which a strategic action plan for the Division will be implemented in early March 1993, the closer co-ordination and use of foot and mobile patrols and the introduction of a system of strategically placed and co-ordinated checkpoints. Additional resources are also being made available from other areas of the Division as and when required.
