Vol. 495 No. 4
20 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of Garda chases involving stolen cars; the number of times the stinger was used in this regard during 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20247/98]
349 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of occasions the stinger device has been used to apprehend stolen cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20564/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 349 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that statistics are not compiled in such a manner as to enable them to say, readily, how many times the stinger device was used when there were Garda "chases" or how many of the cars that were targeted by the device were, in fact, stolen.
I am, however, informed by the Garda authorities that the stinger device was used on nine occasions altogether between 1 January and 31 August, the latest period for which statistics are available.
