asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether the masked and armed men who held up a motor van conveying copies of the Cork Examiner to Tralee, at Carlaheen Cross, on Saturday, 8th September last, and destroyed it and its contents, have yet been identified and charged, and, if so, if he will state before what type of court they were charged, and if convicted what punishment was imposed; and whether the arms carried on the occasion have been traced and taken possession of by the police.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Destruction of Newspaper Van.
I regret that the notice received of questions Nos. 13 to 33 (inclusive) was not sufficient to enable me to obtain the information asked for. I invite the Deputy to repeat the questions in a week's time.
Are we to understand that there is no systematic notice taken of, say, a case like the destruction of the Cork Examiner van and contents?
I think the Deputy is wrong in understanding anything of the kind but he must be aware that it is necessary to check and bring information up to date at all times.
Does the President consider that the giving of notice on a Friday of a question such as question No. 13 does not give the Department of Justice time enough to provide a reply to that question?
The Deputy is aware that, in order to get the latest information, headquarters will have to communicate with the local Gárda and that that takes time.
Is the Precident aware that, of the written questions here, there are 16 at least that are concerned with the tracing and possession of arms that were used unlawfully in a destructive and violent way and is there no systematic check kept, even from week to week, in the Department of Justice as to what is happening in the case of outrages of this kind, in which arms are used?
Such cheeks are, of course, kept, but if a question is asked here, a Deputy is entitled to get the latest information and the latest information clearly will require that the local Gárda be communicated with. It is obvious that investigations are always on foot in regard to these matters and every detail is not immediately reported. When there is something definite and concrete to report to headquarters, then it is reported.
Will the President say whether consideration of the Supplementary Estimate for additional Gárdaí which is before the House will be postponed until next week until we have an opportunity of considering Ministerial replies to these questions?
The Minister would have to be consulted in regard to that.