Vol. 465 No. 1
163 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí diverted to traffic duty, guarding public buildings, escorting dignitaries and similar functions in the cities of Dublin, Cork and Limerick respectively in December 1995 as a percentage of the total number of gardaí working in these cities during that month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9191/96]
The Garda authorities are responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda personnel and resources to individual areas. They have informed me that traffic duty is performed by gardaí in the normal course of policing as circumstances dictate. With regard to escorting public dignitaries and guarding public buildings the Garda authorities have expressed concern, and I share that concern, about supplying the kind of detailed information sought by the Deputy, on the grounds of security and in the interests of crime prevention generally.
