Vol. 471 No. 2
147 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice whether one juvenile liaison officer for 13,563 juveniles in County Donegal, as per the 1991 census figure, is a fair proportion for the gardaí concerned and an adequate response to the level of juvenile crime currently being committed nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20500/96]
148 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice whether the juvenile liaison scheme is seen as a preventive measure which curbs the number of re-offenders as well as punishing offenders; and if so, the steps, if any, which can be taken to raise the profile of this scheme. [20501/96]
149 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice whether 82 gardaí and five sergeants are adequate provisions within the juvenile liaison scheme for the 1,142,288 juveniles in Ireland, as per the 1991 census figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20502/96]
150 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, her Department, in conjunction with the Garda authorities, will take to expand the juvenile liaison scheme to enable it to play its proper role in our society, which is made-up generally of many young people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20503/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 147, 148, 149 and 150 together.
The Garda authorities are responsible for the detailed deployment of Garda personnel and resources and I have been informed by them that the operation of the Garda juvenile liaison scheme is kept under constant review by the director of the National Juvenile Liaison Office. I should refer the Deputy to my reply to her Question No. 123 of 17 October 1996, which sets out the major improvements and reforms to the scheme introduced in 1991, the additional appointments to the scheme in recent years and, in particular, the appointment of an additional superintendent to the National Juvenile Liaison Office in March of this year. This reply also referred to my plans to place the scheme on a statutory footing as part of the forthcoming Children's Bill, which I expect to publish within the next few weeks. I would expect that this step in itself will heighten the awareness of the Garda juvenile liaison scheme.
The Garda authorities have informed me that the scheme is continually monitored and assessed in all respects, including resources, staffing and administrative procedures and that adjustments, including additional appointments, take place whenever and wherever appropriate.
151 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, which are being taken to address the fact that Garda numbers in the Donegal division have fallen by 42 since 1990 and have fallen by 35 in the Cavan-Monaghan Division during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20504/96]
The Garda authorities are responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda personnel and resources to individual areas. They have informed me that the policing needs of each Garda division are reviewed on an ongoing basis with a view to utilising available resources to optimum effect.
The Deputy will already be aware that one of the main elements of the anti-crime measures which I announced in July of this year was the recruitment of a further 400 gardaí to the Force over the period July 1996 to October 1997. This is, of course, in addition to the 350 gardaí already being recruited this year and another 350 planned for in 1997. The anti-crime package also provided for the recruitment of an additional 200 civilians to the Force, which will facilitate the release of an equivalent number of gardaí for operational duties.
As these additional gardaí are recruited or released for operational duties, they will be deployed as deemed appropriate by the Garda authorities.
