asked the Minister for Justice if the introduction to the Garda Síochána of a 42-hour week, with overtime paid for hours worked in excess of 42, in place of the previous 48-hour minimum, has resulted in substantially less man hours being worked in most stations throughout the country; and if there has been a resultant diminution in the protection afforded to the public.

30.

asked the Minister for Justice if he is satisfied that all ranks in the Garda Síochána are getting a fair share of overtime work.

31.

asked the Minister for Justice the average number of overtime hours per week worked by a member of the Garda Síochána since April 1970.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 30 and 31 together.

The reduction of one-eighth in the normal working hours of gardaí from 1st April last has created some serious problems. Many measures have been and are being taken to overcome them, including transferring men from relatively crime-free areas to the busier centres, modernising police systems and relieving the force of non-police duties. Overtime is authorised where this is necessary for the performance of essential police duties. By these means the degree of protection afforded to the public is kept as high as possible.

The authorisation of overtime depends on the individual circumstances and, in accordance with the recommendations of the Conroy Commission, any overtime worked is compensated for by time off within three months where this is practicable. I want to make it clear, therefore, that there is no question of any entitlement to overtime and that, even where overtime has been worked, it is only where it is not practicable to allow time off that the question of payment arises.

Particulars of the number of hours of overtime worked could be obtained only by a scrutiny of local station records but a total of approximately £250,000 has already been paid in respect of the six months beginning 1st April last and it is a fair assumption that there is a significant number of claims still to come in for that period. Having regard to the very high cost of overtime, a chief superintendent has been appointed to carry out a full examination of the matter.

Would the Minister not agree that there has been a considerable drop in man hours worked by the Garda Síochána all over the country? Would the Minister investigate the particular allegation which has been made to me that between the hours of 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. in County Meath there are only three gardaí on duty as station orderlies and that this is a result of the introduction of the 42-hour week and the reluctance on the part of the Garda authorities to authorise overtime for gardaí to enable them to be on duty during these hours?

I could not accept that. There is a great deal of overtime authorised.

Has there been a drop in the number of man hours worked?

I could not say that offhand because the questions do not refer to night working. An allowance is now paid for night duty which was not paid before.

I asked the Minister specifically about the drop in the number of man hours.

Is the Minister aware of the considerable anxiety among the gardaí in a number of stations—I find this in my own constituency—because station sergeants are not allowed by the Garda authorities to permit gardaí to do overtime? As a result of this many Garda stations throughout the country are understaffed and the general public are getting very little protection. I have in mind one particular town in my constituency.

We cannot discuss specific cases on this question.

The Minister knows nothing about it anyway.

The Deputy is under a complete misapprehension when she says that the Garda authorities do not allow authorised overtime.

In certain cases the overtime is not allowed.

Enormous periods of overtime have been authorised.