Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - Criminal Damage to Cars.

Mr. Shatter

I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this issue. In my constituency yesterday morning 36 families woke up to find that the tyres of their cars had been slashed. In some cases cars had one or two tyres slashed and in others four. All of these families are incurring hundreds of pounds in expenses to put right the damage done. Forty families in Tallaght were in the same position. In one night in south Dublin 76 cars had their tyres slashed.

I understand that this tyre slashing is part of an attempt by a gang of criminals to intimidate the Garda in Rathfarnham and Tallaght to prevent them from fully investigating a serious crime committed in the area some days ago. I am saying on behalf of my constituents that the people of Rathfarnham will not give in to this type of intimidation and they will fully support the Garda in the work they are doing. I am sure the people in Tallaght who were similarily affected will take the same view.

I am anxious to raise this today as I want an assurance from the Minister for Justice that the Garda will be provided with all the necessary resources to fully complete the investigation they are making into the original crime which took place some days ago. I also want an assurance that the Garda in south Dublin will be given any additional resources and manpower they require to enable them to fully police the areas in the coming days so as to ensure that this gang are not let loose on the streets to terrorise and intimidate the local community. I want a guarantee from the Minister that a similar incident will not occur because the Garda are understaffed and unable to provide the type of surveillance necessary. I appreciate that the Garda have a very difficult job and that it is very difficult to totally police an area the size of south Dublin. However, the Garda are currently under-resourced and understaffed. Will the Minister in this emergency consider drafting additional gardaí into the area temporarily until those responsible for the events of Tuesday evening are brought before our courts and are properly convicted for the incidents that have taken place?

I had an informal discussion with the Minister for Justice yesterday and he said that he would look into the matter. I am raising this out of concern for my constituents and to ensure that the Minister has an opportunity in the Dáil to state the action the Government intend to take to provide the Garda with the support they need.

It is understood that a well known criminal in Dublin is behind the incidents that took place and that it is his gang who are seeking to terrorise and intimidate this community to try to force the Garda not to complete a serious and important investigation. Some time ago a decision was made to engage in intensive surveillance of this criminal. That worked for a period in curtailing the activities. If the Minister or the Garda Commissioner think it is necessary at this stage to again provide such intensive surveillance, he will have the full support of Members of the Fine Gael Party. I would urge the Minister to look into the feasibility of such an approach so as to ensure that not only those who committed these crimes in the Rathfarnham and Tallaght areas are brought to justice, but to ensure also that the person who directed them and who is the leader of this gang is brought before our courts and sent to prison following a proper trial.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Flynn)

I fully share Deputy Shatter's concern about this dreadful vandalism against private citizens' cars which occurred in Rathfarnham and Tallaght in the early hours of yesterday morning. I take this opportunity to extend my sympathy to the victims of these deplorable acts. I assure this House that this type of wanton attack on the property of hard-working citizens will not be tolerated. The Garda authorities are determined that the perpetrators of these acts will be brought to justice soon. When that happens and these individuals are brought before the courts they will come to face the full rigour of the law.

It has been suggested in the media that these incidents took place as a result of an arrest made by the Garda Síochána. We cannot know for certain that this is the case. In any event, I want to assure the House and the general public that any such effort to deter the Garda from performing their duties is certain to fail. No thug or criminal gang will deter the Garda from enforcing the law in this State. Such futile attempts at intimidation only succeed in producing a greater resolve by the Garda to ensure that law and order is upheld.

While it is not the practice for Ministers for Justice to make statements in relation to crimes which are under investigation, I can say that the Garda authorities have informed me that they are making good progress in this investigation and have taken steps to prevent a recurrence of these despicable acts. For obvious reasons I cannot say in detail what these are, but they include a substantial increase in foot and mobile patrols in each of the areas involved.

The manning levels have increased from 101 to 108 at present in Tallaght and from 52 to 62 over the same period in Rathfarnham. Both areas in question, Bancroft in Tallaght and Butterfield in Rathfarnham are served by community gardaí. I understand that both of these areas have neighbourhood watch schemes and I would urge the residents, not only of these areas but all over the city, to support and assist the gardaí in preventing and detecting crime.

The Garda authorities are satisfied that their resources are adequate to deal with crime and vandalism in these areas. I have been further assured by the Garda authorities that the situation in relation to these incidents is being closely monitored and that any further action which may prove necessary to deal with the problem will be taken. I am confident that no effort will be spared by the Garda to ensure that those responsible for these mindless acts will be apprehended soon and brought to justice in the not too distant future.