Written Answers. - Garda Deployment.
Brian O'Shea
Ceist:
45
Mr. O'Shea
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
the proposals, if any, he has to increase Garda numbers in view of the very large increase in reported crime in County Waterford; the measures, if any, he intends to introduce, including the possible introduction of video cameras; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17686/98]
The detailed deployment of Garda personnel to individual areas is a matter for the Garda authorities. They have informed me that the current personnel strength for the Waterford-Kilkenny Garda division is as outlined hereunder:
|
Date
|
Strength (all ranks)
|
|
31/12/96
|
297
|
|
31/12/97
|
307
|
|
12/10/98
|
323
|
I understand from the Garda authorities that the situation pertaining to crime in the Waterford-Kilkenny Garda division between 1995 and 1998 is as outlined in the following table:
|
Date
|
Recorded crimes
|
Detected Crimes
|
Detection rate
|
|
31/12/1995
|
2,693
|
1,286
|
48%
|
|
31/12/1996
|
2,774
|
1,354
|
49%
|
|
31/12/1997
|
3,123
|
1,778
|
57%
|
|
31/8/1998*
|
2,013
|
1,160
|
58%
|
*Figures are provisional.
It can be seen from these statistics that the staffing strength of the Waterford-Kilkenny Garda division has increased substantially in the recent past. While there has been a rise in reported crime in recent times the crime detection rate has also risen substantially.
The Garda authorities have further informed me that the staffing situation in the division will continue to be kept under review and that each time additional personnel become available, the needs of the division will be fully considered in the overall context of the needs of other Garda divisions throughout the country.
As far as An Garda Síochána is concerned, the potential crime prevention capacity is the most important consideration when evaluating an application for a Garda CCTV system. It should further be noted that CCTV systems are not in any way a replacement for Garda personnel but are an aid to existing Garda resources. The extension of these systems to other areas must, therefore, be viewed in the context of overall policing operations and carefully planned and integrated into Garda operational procedures. An advisory committee comprising senior officers in the Garda Síochána and a representative from my Department was established by the Garda Commissioner to examine the future of CCTV systems as an aid to policing. While their main objective was to evaluate the potential crime prevention capacity of each of the applications received, they were also required to evaluate each application from a technical and telecommunications perspective while also taking into consideration the level of finance available from my Department and from local business-community sources.
At present six locations have been prioritised for the installation of Garda CCTV systems as an aid to policing. They are as follows: Bray, Cork, Dublin — South Central — Dundalk, Finglas and Limerick.
The advisory committee has received 26 applications for the installation of Garda CCTV systems. Each of the applications will be prioritised with regard to the respective levels of crime in the locations in question and the likely impact of a Garda CCTV system on same. The applications on hand, including Waterford, are still under consideration and it is anticipated that further systems will be scheduled in due course as resources permit. It is also only fair to say, however, that the commitment to existing schemes, as well as those prioritised by the advisory committee, limits the scope for the extension of Garda CCTV systems to other areas at the present time.
