Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
739 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he thinks it acceptable that, after phoning the local Garda station, the residents of Palmerston Place, off Mountjoy St. Dublin 7 were told that there was no patrol car available and that they had to wait 40 minutes before one arrived. [11706/04]
View answerThe question in this matter offers no specific details relative to the call, in particular the exact nature of the call and the time it was made.
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that patrol cars in the Dublin Metropolitan Region are directed by communications centre to respond to complaints and calls from members of the public. Depending on the nature of the call, a priority classification is allocated to it that governs the sequence in which calls are responded to. Calls of a serious nature will obviously receive priority treatment. This system can result in the accumulation of calls in each district to be responded to when vehicles become available. Beat personnel are also utilised, when available to respond to calls.
I am further informed that a response of 40 minutes would be an exception, and a concerted effort is made to provide a professional speedy response to calls at the first available opportunity. Supervisory personnel at local level and at communications centre monitor response times to complaints and calls and take remedial action if appropriate.
