Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Tááthas orm deis a fháil labhairt ar an mBille um Cheartas Coiriúil 2004. In his opening address, the Minister referred to giving extra powers to the Garda Síochána. I ask that he devote as much attention to the reforms needed in the force. People need to hear more about these in light of the Morris tribunal.

The issue of resources, which my colleagues have mentioned, was not covered in the Minister's opening address. He needs to return to this given that there have been more problems associated with a lack of resources than with a lack of powers. The Minister proposes to amend the firearms and explosives legislation. However, it is still the case that international arms traders are very easily approached over the Internet. I read in a newspaper over the weekend that schoolgirls in Portlaoise were able to access fairly frightening torture equipment and weapons over the Internet, just to prove it could be done. I do not believe the Minister is tackling the problem, nor does the legislation under discussion contain proposals to do so.

Amending the fireworks legislation of 1875 is one matter but monitoring communities and acting on foot of the tsunami of fireworks entering this country is another. Resources and education are badly needed in this regard. Serious incidents have occurred such as the blowing up of an animal corpse with fireworks. The Garda certainly needs greater resources to tackle the type of behaviour sometimes evident in our communities.

I agree with Deputies who mentioned the inadequacy and counter-productive nature of ASBOs in that they focus on the marginalised in the community. Not only do they lead to a culture of criminalisation, they also highlight the lack of resources. It is an end-of-pipe type of approach rather than one characterised by preventing the problem in the first place. In this regard, more juvenile liaison officers are badly needed, as are more uniformed gardaí.

I have received a number of letters on this subject, one of which is from a resident in Doneraile in County Cork. It states:

In my young days when crime was almost nil . . . we had a resident sergeant plus 4 resident gardaí. Today in 2006 we have no resident garda, a despicable situation that has now gone on for the past few years, when crime and vandalism [are at an unacceptable level]. I am requesting you and other politicians to help this town of Doneraile to fight for a resident garda sergeant, plus a resident garda. In fact, I am not alone requesting you, I am pleading with you to help us get law-enforcement officers. I will say . . . it is nothing short of a disgrace to have to beg for a resident law-enforcement officer for a growing town with an equally growing population[.]

This is typical of letters I receive from individuals throughout the country.

My area covers Balbriggan, Rush, Lusk, Skerries, Garristown, Naul, Ballyboughal and Oldtown, and also Trinity House and Oberstown. The Garda district of Balbriggan had more uniformed gardaí in 1988 than it does today although the population was approximately half of what it is today. This is an indictment of a Government that has anything to say crime, as this legislation purports to do. In 2006, there are 33 station personnel, including 15 uniformed gardaí, four sergeants and personnel in other roles the Garda has been given. The Garda needs to have personnel in these roles. Although there were more uniformed gardaí in the district in 1988, there was no drugs unit and there was not as much serious crime as there is today, nor were there community policing or foreign national responsibilities.

The Government is clearly attempting to paint a picture to the effect that there is no problem and that it is just adding to the powers of the Garda. However, law and order are in crisis because of cutting corners in the provision of resources. The Commissioner's statement that we need to increase Garda strength to 15,000, 1,000 more than the Minister was considering, even in his wildest dreams, indicates that the Garda is at the end of its tether.

The Minister's proposal to increase the retirement age of gardaí takes the biscuit altogether. Gardaí are doing their level best to get out of the force early because they are so demoralised, have no back-up and are expected to a number of jobs all at once. They are not getting the help they need from the Government and additional powers will not solve this problem. I hope the Government spokesperson, when wrapping up this debate, will indicate clearly that the resources the Garda needs will be provided. Only then will we take the Bill seriously.

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