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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Crime Prevention.

I wish to share my time with Deputy Naughten.

: Is that agreed? Agreed.

: There has been a spate of robberies in the counties of Sligo, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon and Cavan. Heretofore, criminals from outside the region presented difficulties for the Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform by causing bodily harm to elderly persons living in the west. The Garda Síochána was able to deal with this problem through the introduction of various measures with the result that the criminal gangs have now turned to robbing business premises in rural Ireland. There has a spate of robberies in the midlands and north-west. Towns such as Ballinamore, Mohill, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballyconnell and Newtowngore have all been raided in recent months. I understand from Garda sources that no one has been held responsible. Most business premises in these small towns have been turned into fortresses through the installation of alarm systems and shutters on windows. This is a sad reflection on society in which we live. In Sligo town, for example, the number of raids on business premises and attacks on persons has increased dramatically in the past 12 months. The chamber of commerce and the Garda Síochána have requested that security cameras be erected as a matter of urgency but it is clear from the reply to a recent question that I tabled to the Minister that Sligo town is very low on the Government's priority list. It is essential that they are put in place as a matter of urgency. I am glad the Minister is present in the House to reply to the debate on this serious issue. In opposition he acted a bit like a "John Wayne" who was going to deal with criminal elements throughout the country but he has not. What action does he propose to take to eliminate this criminal activity that is devastating many businesses in rural Ireland and to provide the resources that are badly needed by the Garda Síochána to fight these criminals and stop them from raping the country and frightening the people in rural Ireland? The matter should be dealt with as a matter of urgency.

I thank my colleague for giving me the opportunity to speak on this issue. On one night in County Roscommon there were six robberies in the Castlerea area. We have returned to the reign of terror witnessed in the early 1990s. The elderly are again living in fear of their lives. When Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Owen successfully introduced Operation Shannon. I ask the Minister – the Minister for zero tolerance – to adopt this targeted approach to combat the problem as a matter of urgency. No one has been held responsible for these burglaries to date. Business premises have been turned into fortresses to prevent people breaking in. Additional resources have not been provided for Castlerea Garda station in the past 12 months. Two extra gardaí have been appointed to the Castlerea district since the opening of Castlerea place of detention. This is wholly inadequate. Local gardaí are not informed of releases. Additional resources are required in the Castlerea and north Roscommon area. Operation Shannon must be reintroduced immediately to ensure the elderly can sleep quietly in their beds at night and do not have to worry that someone will burst in through the door or window to rob or assault them as happened in the past. I urge the Minister to give the Garda Síochána the resources it needs to combat this scourge.

I have been advised by the Garda authorities that the statistics for robberies and aggravated burglaries in which weapons were used recorded in the districts referred to by the Deputies during the first nine months of this year show a decrease over the same period last year. Twelve robberies and aggravated burglaries were recorded in the region up to the end of September this year as opposed to 16 during the equivalent period in 1998. Cavan-Monaghan was the only district to show a slight increase so far this year from two to five. This type of crime declined from three to one over the same period in Sligo-Leitrim and from 11 to six in Longford-Westmeath. Neither robberies or aggravated burglaries were recorded in Roscommon-Galway east during the first nine months of either this or last year. The statistics for 1999 are provisional and may be subject to change. I am glad to note however that they are in line with the unprecedented decline shown in the national statistics for overall crime, including robberies and aggravated burglaries in recent years. During 1998 there were 1,831 robberies and 657 aggravated burglaries recorded where weapons other than firearms were used, which represent decreases of 26 per cent and 33 per cent respectively over those recorded in the previous year. Armed robberies and aggravated burglaries in which firearms were used showed a 12 per cent decline from 252 in 1997 to 221 in 1998 while the detection rate improved from 34 per cent to 40 per cent.

We are not talking about armed robberies.

: The Garda authorities have assured me that they are satisfied that appropriate resources are focused on this type of criminal activity. Operation Fionn involves an extensive range of Garda checkpoints throughout the western region and targets criminals who may be involved in this type of crime. Operations of this nature are kept under constant review by the Garda authorities in light of the short and long-term operational needs in the fight against crime. There is no question of a let-up in the fight against crime. We have made tremendous strides in the past two years or so and if the trend up to the middle of this year is continued crime will have fallen by almost 25 per cent since the Government came into office. In tandem with the unprecedented fall in crime the detection rate is on the increase. Clearly the measures and the resources made available to the Garda Síochána, prison service and other elements of the criminal justice system are yielding results. Our task now is build on these excellent results and that is our firm intention.

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