asked the Minister for Justice the present strength of the Garda force; where he plans to get the additional manpower which he has committed the Government to provide for extra Border security; and how he plans to provide the number required to adequately police cities and major crime areas throughout the country and to meet the neighbourhood watch requirements.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Strength.
34.
(Limerick East): The strength of the Garda Síochána on 31 October 1985 was 11,349.
The detailed deployment of Garda manpower is a matter for the Garda authorities having regard to their assessment of needs, overall resources and demands on Garda services. The Garda authorities have informed me that additional gardaí have been allocated to Border divisions by the redeployment of manpower from other divisions on a temporary basis. They are keeping the policing needs of other areas, particularly cities and areas where the incidence of crime is high, under constant review and appropriate measures, including the provision of extra funds for overtime, have been taken to ensure an adequate Garda presence in all areas.
As I indicated in my replies to Question No. 82 on 10 July 1985 and Question No. 729 on 2 May 1984, it is not the practice to allocate a specific proportion of Garda resources to the neighbourhood watch scheme which is essentially a network of public-spirited people who observe what is going on in their own neighbourhood and report suspicious or unusual happenings to the Garda Síochána.
Is the Minister saying that extra overtime will be allocated where required because of the levels of crime?
(Limerick East): Yes, the Government have already taken a decision to allocate extra overtime.
Forgive my scepticism but are we talking about a decision taken in relation to the changes which are taking place now, or about a general decision made at the beginning of the year?
(Limerick East): I am talking about a decision made in the autumn when it became clear that there was a distinct possibility of an Anglo-Irish agreement.
Is the Minister aware of the dramatic increases in burglaries, particularly in the Dublin metropolitan area, and that they increased in private houses from 6,991 in 1980 to 12,073 in 1984? Is he also aware that detection rates have fallen from 41 per cent to 24.4 per cent? In view of this and of the dramatic increase in household insurance which has doubled during this period, could the Minister give a guarantee that extra gardaí will be provided where they are needed, especially coming up to Christmas?
(Limerick East): Certainly there has been an increase in the incidence of burglary over the past six years. However, the community watch scheme is particularly useful in combating burglaries and resources will be made available to different communities by the Garda to ensure that these schemes work efficiently.
Is the Minister aware of the seriousness of the problem? Perhaps the Garda can do no more because of the system and the Minister should address that problem. The numbers of convictions in relation to burglaries in private houses over the period to which I referred earlier increased from 1,133 to 1,300. That is a fairly small increase but the number of recorded detections is not very high. Is the system not functioning? I appreciate that the neighbourhood watch scheme might work, but there is a need for a new approach because of the size of the problem. Is the Minister further aware that there is great danger now to anybody lodging money and quite often banks have notices to the effect that they are closed due to a raid? Does the Minister agree that this is a frightening development and that there is community acceptance of a new level of crime?
(Limerick East): I have not seen notices of that nature on any bank.
Well, they are there.
(Limerick East): The Deputy is slipping into his old habit of hyperbole to make his point. Obviously there is a problem in regard to burglaries but I do not think the solution lies solely in the area of detection. Prevention is the best method along with neighbourhood watch and other preventative measures which the individual householder could take.
Would the Minister please try to appreciate how serious the problem is? I will bring the Minister out and show him these notices on banks——
It would be a much more appropriate occasion for threshing out this matter rather than doing so at Question Time.
I have shown that the Minister is not aware of what is happening. He is making nice statements but he is removed from the reality of muggings, protection rackets and companies having to increase security. He should change gear in relation to this problem and look again at the organisation of the Garda in dealing with the problem. Figures show that, while crime is increasing, the numbers convicted are not increasing at the same rate. Does the system need a rethink? I am not being facetious and I can show the Minister any night on the northside of Dublin the serious problems which exist.
I do not want to get into a wrangle with Deputy Woods but I must direct his attention to the relevant Standing Orders and invite him to read them. We are as far removed from Question Time as we are from the all Ireland final.
I have asked the Minister to make his views known on this matter.
The Deputy made short speeches. There is no way in which I can control Question Time. I do not want to get nasty or to fight but I appeal to Deputies to be reasonable and to have regard to Standing Orders.