The House will hear a two minute statement appropriate to the Minister for Justice by Deputy Charles Flanagan.
Justice Matter.
In the short time available to me I wish to reflect the serious concern of the people of County Laois at the rumoured proposed new Garda scheme of rural policing. In my view these fears are well founded as the proposals amount to a thinly veiled cutback on the part of the Minister for Justice. I ask the Minister to bear in mind the high level of rural crime which will be fuelled by the introduction of measures that will withdraw the services of the Garda from rural communities.
I am speaking particularly about the future of Garda stations in County Laois in villages like Durrow, Ballacolla, Clonaslee and Arless and the town of Mountmellick. In fact, the level of serious and vicious crime in rural areas of County Laois in recent times is an argument in favour of the strengthening of the force rather than a withdrawal of service.
The Minister must acknowledge the marvellous and dedicated work of voluntary bodies such as Community Alert throughout County Laois who have contributed in no small way towards keeping down the incidence of crime in the area. This experiment to withdraw gardaí and reduce the rural Garda station to a mere office open for a couple of hours a day is simply not on. It has given rise to fears not only among the gardaí themselves but perhaps more particularly among members of the general public. Close co-operation, inter-action and contact between rural Garda and the local community is the hallmark of crime prevention and detection and in my view this is at risk with Garda stations closed down.
The existence of highly mobile criminals in rural Ireland, particularly in County Laois, who rove the countryside in cars and vans putting the elderly and those living alone and the most vulnerable in our community in fear for their personal safety is the greatest argument in favour of a greater strengthening of the Garda force on the ground. The widely rumoured experiment is simply not on and I ask the Minister of State to confirm to the House for the benefit of all concerned that the plan is not merely postponed until after the local elections on 27 June but scrapped in its entirety and that a commitment be given to rural communities that this experiment which failed in Kilkenny and Mayo when tried under a pilot scheme will not be foisted on the people of County Laois.
The reform of rural policing practices, which have existed since the foundation of the State and for a considerable time before then, is a matter of considerable importance to us all. I agree with Deputy Flanagan that a full measure of consultation with and explanation to the interests involved is desirable.
That is why the Garda authorities, for example, have engaged in full consultation with the Garda representative bodies before putting their proposals in the matter to the Minister for Justice.
I am, of course, conscious of the fact that consultation with other interests is also necessary and we are naturally attending to this also. I have already commented publicly on certain matters which appeared to be a source of concern. I have explained, for example, that no closure of rural Garda stations is planned and that no reduction in the number of gardaí attached to rural stations will result from the implementation of these very important and carefully thought out proposals.
What is envisaged is a drastic reduction in form filling procedures in smaller Garda stations coupled with increased resources for gardaí in rural Ireland. When I talk of increased resources, I have in mind extra clerical and computer back up, more Garda vehicles and more involvement by local Garda management in the policing of rural areas. We are still fine tuning this scheme in consultation with the Garda authorities, and when our plans are finalised they will be made fully public, and the views of interested parties, including elected representatives, like Deputy Flanagan, will be taken on board.
I am very confident that Deputy Flanagan and his other Oireachtas colleagues and the people of County Laois will be more than delighted to accept the very new modern and enlightened proposals which we have to provide 24 hour security cover for the people of Ireland, both rural and urban.
I hope the Minister is right.
The Dáil adjourned at 7.5 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 11 June 1991.