asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of growing concern at vandalism in parts of Dublin; if he is also aware that, due to the lack of intensive care facilities for the hard core minority of juvenile delinquents who will not be taken into existing institutions and are consequently released, ordinary people are considering the formation of vigilante groups to deal with these offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter to alleviate the growing anxiety about the problem felt by the public at large.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Vandalism.
35.
I am informed by the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána that, in recent months, there has been no appreciable increase in incidents of vandalism in Dublin though, as is common knowledge, there has been at least one incident which, understandably, has attracted a good deal of public attention.
As I have said more than once in reply to previous questions, and as recently as Thursday, 13th February, vandalism is caused mainly by youngsters in the 12 to 15 age bracket. There are institutions to cater for these youngsters who are remanded by the courts or who are found guilty of offences and it is only in the exceptional case when for one reason or another a youngster will not be accepted that a problem arises. It would be altogether misleading if the public were to get the impression that there is no accommodation for young offenders. I am saying this in order to put the problem in perspective although the matter is not one for me.
As no doubt the Deputy is aware, the provision of detention centres for young persons under 16 is not, and never has been, the responsibility of my Department, and while I am, as my colleagues in Government are, concerned at the present difficulties, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further. In any event, a detailed reply relating to this matter was given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education as recently as 11th February.
I presume the Minister is aware of the calamitous figures which were disclosed to us here by the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs in regard to public telephone boxes particularly in the Dublin city area. Can he give us any indication of any measures which the Garda Síochána can take in that particular regard because as far as the greater part of Dublin city is concerned at the moment there is no such thing as a public telephone service?
I am aware that there is a degree of vandalism which causes concern in some areas. It has a fluctuating pattern. An area may be comparatively free of it for some time and then suddenly there is an outbreak of it. This happens from area to area. As I have indicated in reply to previous questions on this matter of vandalism essentially the solution is not with the Garda, it is with the community themselves, that there is proper social action taken within the community. The Garda, in an area that is subject to an outbreak of vandalism, so far as they can help by more intensive patrolling, will help and do help but essentially it is a community problem.
I accept that in a general way it is very much a community problem and the answer must be found in some long-term educational manner but there is a very specific, real problem in Dublin city in regard to public telephone kiosks and would the Minister consider giving special instructions to the Garda Síochána with regard to supervision of such kiosks or paying special attention to them?
The Garda are aware that their general brief includes an obligation to be particularly careful of any unusual outbreak of vandalism, and if telephone kiosks are being subjected more than normally to attacks by vandals I have no doubt that the Garda will give them the extra attention they require. Attacks on telephone kiosks have been with us as long as we have had telephone kiosks, I say that with regret, and it would be impossible to guarantee absolutely that they will remain immune from such attacks.
Is the Minister aware that the problem, while it has always been with us, is at a particularly high and comprehensive level at the moment? Could he arrange to have some special instructions issued to the Garda in regard to this?
I will certainly convey what the Deputy has to say about the position to the Garda, but they do not need to know this from me: they know that themselves from their own sources and from the reports being made to them. I have no doubt that the Department of Posts and Telegraphs would be in touch with the officers of the relevant divisions.