When this Vote was last before the House I was contending that it could be very considerably reduced on the figures which the Minister disclosed in introducing it. It was pointed out, as I stated, when the Estimate was on last year that, owing to the fact that conditions had not yet become normal, nothing very substantial, at any rate, could be done with regard to making any effective reduction. The arguments then made would apply equally well now, so far as this House is concerned. We contend that this Vote could be substantially reduced. If the Minister desires to take the steps which he should have taken to reduce the force to a figure in keeping with the extent of the areas over which the Guards operate, it could be made more efficient than the rather cumbersome force that is now operating in the country. The arguments put forward from time to time with regard to disturbed conditions in the country, and that things are not exactly normal—that is from the Minister's point of view, but we say that they are—do not hold. If there were disturbed conditions in the country the Guards would not be able to deal with that situation, since they are an unarmed force. If there were disturbed conditions in the country the Army would have to be called in, and the Minister is aware of that. Therefore, the question raised about disturbed, or alleged disturbed, conditions in the country does not apply.
As I pointed out before, the Gárda Síochána force now being maintained in the Twenty-Six Counties, if you exclude what was formerly the Dublin Metropolitan area, is almost as large a force as that in existence for the thirty-two counties up to 1918. I do not think anyone would contend that in 1918 conditions were exactly normal. In the Gárda Síochána you have, I think, five commissioners, twenty-six chief superintendents, 133 superintendents, 55 inspectors, 1,287 sergeants and about 5,703 Guards, together with a large number of so-called civil servants, giving a total of something like 7,500. The first question that would occur to one is, where is the necessity for five commissioners to control a force of 7,000 men? Where is the necessity for each of those commissioners to have a chief superintendent as a secretary? It seems an extraordinary thing that each commissioner should have a chief superintendent as secretary. There is another position in the force, in regard to which I would like to have some information from the Minister. What exactly are the duties of the inspector, and what is the necessity for such a position? An inspector in the Gárda Síochána seems to be a peculiar position. Nobody seems to know what the duties of the position are, except it be that a superintendent may be away from time to time and that then this inspector takes on certain duties. What exactly are the duties assigned to the inspector? I would like the Minister, when replying, to state the necessity for this position of inspector.
We say that very substantial reductions could be effected by amalgamating a number of stations throughout the country. I know that, in many areas, stations are within two or three miles of one another. That is where you have stations in an adjoining county. In other places they are within six and seven miles of one another. I do not know any reason for that, or see the necessity for it, except that the Minister feels that his Department should, shall I say, follow in the footsteps of its fathers, or follow at any rate in the footsteps of the old régime, by keeping in existence the stations that existed prior to the Gárda Síochána being established? We believe that with the help of modern transport you could carry on as effectively and efficiently with a reduced number of stations and with a much smaller force than you have at present. In police stations, in many places, you have, for instance, a force consisting of six men, two sergeants and a superintendent. That is surely a preponderance of higher officers over men. Of course, I admit that the superintendent has to be responsible for other stations in the district in which he resides, but in the chief station where he has his quarters it is usually found that there are from four to six men, two sergeants and, sometimes, an inspector as well. I have certain stations in mind where that obtains.
The Minister stated, when he was introducing this Vote, that he anticipated a further reduction. I am not clear whether the Minister meant that he anticipates a further reduction than that disclosed in the Estimate—that is, a reduction greater than the £29,000 set out in the Estimate. He says that recruiting is stopped, but he has not stated whether any reduction is to be made except so far as the stoppage of recruiting will affect it. It would appear to be indicated by what the Minister stated that he is satisfied that a reduced force could carry on the duties effectively.
