Dáil debates

Thursday, 19 February 2015

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Garda Station Closures

9:40 am

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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3. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to improve policing in the Stepaside area in County Dublin; if her attention has been drawn to the spike in burglaries in the area since the closure of the Garda station there; if she will provide figures for crime in the area since the station closed; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that, since the station closed, residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity of the station have been targeted by criminals; if her attention has been further drawn to the number of arrests and convictions secured for such crimes; if she will reconsider the re-opening of the station, in view of the sense of insecurity felt by residents of the neighbourhood, since it closed; her plans to carry out a review of the Government's disastrous decision to close many Garda stations nationwide, in particular, the mistaken decision to close the station in Stepaside; and if she will highlight the successes achieved in catching criminals in the area, since the closure of this station. [7330/15]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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In view of the fact that Stepaside Garda station was closed in March 2013, that the number of burglaries in the area has rocketed and that the residents of the area are victims of crime on a daily basis, will the Minister outline her proposals for what she intends to do about this, in particular, to revisit the disastrous decision by her predecessor to close the Garda station?

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The publication of crime statistics is a matter for the Central Statistics Office, as the independent national statistical agency. The CSO is carrying out, at my urging having met it, an investigation and detailed analysis of certain issues raised by the Garda Inspectorate on the recording, classification and reclassification of crime to see whether and to what extent they may have implications for the crime statistics which that office produces.

There has been some comment about the last quarter of last year not yet being available. That is because they are doing this exercise, and I want to put that on the record of the House. Those statistics will be available shortly and I will make them available to the Deputy.

I am very aware of the concerns in regard to burglary and I am working closely with the Garda Síochána and other relevant criminal justice agencies to ensure an effective, whole-of-system response is in place. The general trend fell in 2013, as the Deputy knows, but there has been an increase overall in burglary offences. It is a heinous crime and has a dreadful impact on people.

The Garda Síochána is reacting to those increases, very often carried out by mobile gangs moving into an area. The Garda has responded through Operation Acer, which is in force throughout the Dublin metropolitan region. I have had discussions with the Garda Commissioner and other relevant agencies on this. The operation involves burglary response units attached to each division taking the lead, which is very important. There have been a number of initiatives in the Deputy's area. This work is monitoring the movements of burglary suspects and has resulted in many successful arrests. These operations are being co-ordinated by the Garda in a very careful way. Since Operation Acer commenced in early 2012, there have been almost 5,500 arrests, 2,746 charges and 1,087 convictions for burglary in the Dublin area up to 3 February 2015.

The Deputy asked what I am doing. There is clearly a practical operational issue for the Garda in this regard but, equally, I am looking at the legislative changes that may be necessary and the criminal justice response to burglary. We need to consider an inter-agency response to make sure we are bringing together all of those working on crime prevention and that we have support in the communities, as is being developed in the Dublin area, where communities are themselves taking action through text messaging and various other initiatives. I am examining whether other legislative changes ought to be introduced in regard to this issue.

9:50 am

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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The Minister's reply, unfortunately, is totally unsatisfactory. With regard to Stepaside specifically, I looked for the figures but they have stopped producing them, I presume because they are so embarrassing and, as there is an epidemic of burglaries, they do not want to expose themselves to the accusation that the closure of the station was a disaster and was wrong.

This is of epidemic proportions. I have spent the last three days being telephoned and going out to the Stepaside area to meet people who have been burgled there. We do not need Garda responses to burglary; we want Garda prevention of burglary. The idea that the smart policing which was introduced by the last Minister and the last Commissioner is more effective is complete and utter nonsense. They are very good at arriving after the crime and giving counselling and comfort to those who have been burgled in Stepaside but they are not good at preventing that crime. What we need is prevention, and that is only achieved if criminals think they are going to be caught.

What I am asking of the Minister is to have a permanent Garda presence in that area, as was there before, to reassure people so they can feel secure, and also to send the message out to the criminals that there is a Garda presence. The Minister may not be aware of this but, since the closure, virtually every shop on one side of the street in Stepaside has been robbed or broken into. One of the bookies was done twice in two weeks because the criminals got such a good haul out of it, the pub has been done once, the hairdresser has been done, and many houses close to the Garda station have been done.

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy's time is up.

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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I am sorry. It is an emergency.

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy that prevention is critical, the Garda response is critical and working with the community is critical. In Stepaside, the area Deputy Ross is specifically addressing, the decisions that have been taken by the Garda involve increased Garda visibility and patrol hours. As I said, a high percentage of these crimes are committed by gangs who are very mobile and who arrive into an area. What we need is for the Garda to have the ability to respond and to interrupt that, and to have the intelligence that will allow them to interrupt and prevent it.

Gardaí are working on all of those issues on a continual basis. They recognise there is a spike in this type of crime and they are taking action to deal with it. There is increased patrol mobility and flexibility in the area, which is resulting and should result in an improved policing service. The Deputy spoke about the closure of the Garda station but gardaí want to ensure there is the visibility through patrol cars and increased patrolling in the area, as well as increased engagement with the community. As the Deputy knows, various Garda clinics have been open on a regular basis to his constituents since that decision was made.

There is no evidence or specific information to suggest that criminals are targeting local businesses or residential areas in Stepaside. I take the Deputy's point about an increase. I want to reassure him that this is a high priority for the Garda in its work for this year. We have seen reductions in the area the Deputy is speaking about, for example, in regard to serious assaults and a range of other issues, including violent crimes against citizens. There are reductions in many areas. We get these changing patterns in crime and the Garda has to respond to the particular spikes that emerge for a variety of reasons. One I mentioned relates to the mobility of these gangs, namely, the number of extra patrol cars in the area following the investment by this Government in transport for An Garda Síochána.

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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The Minister is right that the gangs are very mobile. That is why they come to Stepaside. They know it is easy pickings because it is open season there. They come out there and they are not the slightest bit impressed by the fact there are a few more patrol cars, which there may or may not be. They come and they operate there with impunity.

At a local meeting some time ago, I asked the local gardaí how many convictions there have been and how many arrests they had made for all of these burglaries. They could not or would not answer the question. I know why. It is because they do not believe there have been any or, if I am exaggerating slightly, there have been virtually none. They do not catch anybody any more. Once the criminals know that, they are going to keep coming, which is what is happening. If we put the gardaí back on the beat, with a presence in the area, this would keep them out.

The Minister should acknowledge that the idea of smart policing, which is a kind of phantom garda idea where they go around playing cops and robbers, and they are very quick in arriving after the burglars have escaped, is passé. We have to re-establish the Garda in the community and have gardaí as a permanent presence in such a large area that has been afflicted so badly.

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is not correct that gardaí are not arresting people for burglaries. That is not accurate.

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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It is accurate in Stepaside. Will the Minister provide the figures?

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Gardaí are investigating burglaries, prosecutions are going to the District Court and people are being jailed for periods. Clearly, what we have to do is focus on those recidivists, those repeat burglars and serious offenders who we specifically need to ensure are not free to commit burglaries as they do. That is the focus of the work between the Prison Service, the Garda Síochána and the probation and welfare service.

I agree with the Deputy that this is a heinous crime. As we all know from those who have suffered this crime, it is a very serious crime and it is being dealt with seriously by An Garda Síochána. Prosecutions and investigations are taking place. The Deputy is not correct that people are not being apprehended because they are being apprehended.

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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Can I have the figures?

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The whole focus now is to have what the Deputy decries, namely, the kind of effective and smart policing that is necessary. It is that kind of policing we need, policing that is out there patrolling, gathering intelligence and interrupting these crimes.

10 o’clock

This is the approach being taken by An Garda Síochána.