Vol. 316 No. 9
asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to the increased responsibilities for the gardaí based in the Irishtown Garda Station, Dublin, responsible for E district, and if he will provide the following resources to enable them to carry out their job more effectively: (i) extra Garda personnel, (ii) a second Garda rider and motor bicycle and (iii) a patrol car based in Irishtown and attached to the Garda station.
67.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that while the squad car attached to the Donnybrook and Irishtown Garda Stations in Dublin is being serviced there is frequently no replacement car available, and the action he proposes to take to remedy this situation.
68.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that the motor cycle attached to the Irishtown Garda Station, Dublin, cannot be repaired locally but must be collected by truck and taken to the service depot which involves a delay of up to two/three days during which time the Garda station has no means of transport, and the action he proposes to take to remedy this situation.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 67 and 68 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the current strength at Irishtown station is the maximum that can be provided at present having regard to overall resources and other demands on Garda services. The question of increasing the strength at the centre will, however, be further considered as soon as additional manpower becomes available for assignment.
With regard to the suggestion that a patrol car and an extra motor cycle should be allocated to Irishtown station, it is not the practice for Ministers for Justice to become involved in decisions relating to the numbers of vehicles to be allocated to individual stations. The Garda Síochána are provided with sufficient official transport to cater for their overall needs and the precise allocations to be made to individual areas from time to time are matters for the professional judgment of the Garda authorities. Similarly, the gardaí themselves arrange repairs and as regards repairs being carried out at the depot rather than locally, there are more considerations involved than speed of repair, even if local repair were quicker, which is not to be assumed.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is not proposed at present to allocate a patrol car or a second motor cycle to Irishtown station but that the matter will continue to be kept under review.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that the allegations in regard to long delays in repairing or replacing the motor cycle based at Irishtown are not in accordance with the facts and that in most instances the repairs are effected within a few hours. Where the cars attached to Donnybrook and Irishtown need to be taken out of service for repair, I am informed that replacement vehicles are made available with the minimum of delay.
