Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 April 2004
130 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether it is acceptable that the residents of Tamarisk Drive, Kilnamanagh, had to wait two hours for the gardaí to respond to a call (details supplied). [12441/04]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda authorities that patrol cars in the Dublin metropolitan region are directed by the 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 over an hour would be an exception and that 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 the communications centre monitor response times to complaints and calls and take remedial action if appropriate.
