Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Jan 1996

Vol. 460 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Rural Policing, County Sligo.

Declan Bree

Question:

77 Mr. Bree asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that members of the Garda who are stationed in parts of rural north and south Sligo are regularly transferred to the Sligo urban area on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights thereby leaving rural areas without adequate policing; if her attention has further been drawn to the growing concern among the public living in rural areas regarding increased attacks on the elderly; if the policy of transferring gardaí from rural to urban areas in County Sligo will continue; if this action is in keeping with her Department's policy on rural policing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1532/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The deployment of the force to individual areas is a matter for the Garda authorities. They have informed me that local Garda management carried out a detailed analysis of crime trends in the Sligo district at the end of 1992. It was evident from this analysis that most of the crime in the district was being committed in the Sligo urban area. It was also clear that many public order problems were being encountered on the streets of Sligo on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights when there was an influx of as many as 2,000 young people into the town to attend discos.

The Garda authorities decided, based on this analysis of the crime situation, to redeploy members from substations within the district to perform duty in Sligo town on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. This action has proved to be very successful as the crime figures for the Sligo subdistrict have falled from 676 in 1993 to 607 in 1994 and provisional figures for 1995 indicate that the number of crimes committed in the Sligo subdistrict will be less than 500. This represents a decrease of approximately 26 per cent in a three year period, which is a significant achievement by any standard.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the policing arrangements of the Sligo district will continue to be monitored with a view to deploying all available resources to the best possible advantage in the light of changing needs and circumstances in the district as a whole. The divisional officer at Sligo is satisfied there is no diminution in the Garda service being provided to the subdistricts outside the Sligo subdistrict as a result of members from these subdistricts performing duty as required in Sligo town.

The Garda authorities have informed me that there were five incidents relating to attacks on the elderly in the Sligo district in 1995 and two of these have been detected. The divisional officer is most concerned with the prevention of such attacks — as we all are — and I have been informed that strategies are in place to prevent such attacks in north and south Sligo. There is a limit to the amount of operational detail which I can supply to the Deputy by way of reply to a parliamentary question but I can say that the strategies are all designed to ensure effective rural policing in these areas.

I am fuly aware of the concern among the public living in rural areas regarding the number of attacks on the elderly. I have addressed the House on this issue when dealing with Private Notice Questions earlier today. It was out of concern in relation to this issue that the community alert scheme was first established in 1985. There are now almost 800 schemes operating throughout the country covering over 155,464 homes. This scheme was originally started as a programme to counteract attacks on the elderly and to encourage a sense of neighbourliness in the community. I am informed by the Garda authorities that this scheme, with its strong emphasis on the welfare of the elderly, has proved very successful in reducing attacks on the elderly in rural areas. I recently launched a new video and literature funded by the PMPA and these will help to ensure that our senior citizens, and indeed those providing help to them, have accurate and up-to-date advice.

I also met representatives of Muintir na Tíre, who promote the community alert scheme, three times in the last year. At my request, the Garda authorities carried out an evaluation of the scheme and its effect on crime in 15 selected areas. Based on research carried out on the crime levels for the three year period before and after the community alert scheme was established the following results were recorded; 17 per cent decrease in attacks on the elderly, 25 per cent decrease in burglaries and 21 per cent decrease in other crimes.

These results convinced me that further support should be given to community alert schemes and, in this regard, I informed Muintir an Tíre at a meeting which I had with them earlier this month that I would make £50,000 available to them to provide them with the resources to significantly expand the number of community alert schemes in operation. Late last year I approved funding to meet the cost of issuing a community alert newsletter on a quarterly basis.

Last year, the senior citizens' advice leaflet was reissued by the community relations section of the Garda. It contains detailed information on cash security, care of property, callers to the door and house security. Garda comunity relations and crime prevention officers regularly offer advice to the public on the many methods and products available which can be utilised to make prospective criminal targets less vulnerable. Through the compilation of security surveys on houses, apartments, factories, shops and offices, the Garda authorities try to ensure that the best possible practice in crime prevention techniques is adopted. The Garda authorities have informed me that all the policing programmes within the community relations field are under continual review and modified and updated as necessary to meet the changing need or our society.