I want an answer to the second part of my question. In regard to the recall of personnel now engaged on what is called Border duty, might I ask the Minister is it not as a result of Government policy that replacement of these additional gardaí took place, and his answer to the effect that the movement of personnel is a matter more or less for the internal administration of the gardai is neither accurate nor correct, and would he not consider there are at least 1,000 gardai who could be brought immediately into areas where they are much needed?

It has been the practice, is the practice and will, I hope, continue to be the practice that the number of gardai assigned to particular areas is primarily the responsibility of the Garda authorities. They review the needs of different areas from time to time. They are the professionals in this matter and I would think they are the people best suited for this purpose.

I am calling Question No. 17. We cannot spend all day on this Question.

I quite agree and I would wish all other Members of the House were as reluctant to use the time we have at our disposal as I have been. Finally, might I ask the Minister whether he will inquire from the gardai themselves as to their belief at this moment of the need for unduly large numbers of them cluttered around the Border, with little or nothing to do, men who are badly needed elsewhere, men who are completely frustrated where they are, men who want out of it, and why do we not take them out of it?

That is repetition of a question already asked.

As I have said, the question of the assignment of gardai to a particular area is primarily the responsibility of the Garda authorities. The needs in different areas are reviewed from time to time by the Garda authorities, and, in that review, they take into account the needs and circumstances of the situation.

We can take it so that the Government and the Minister are satisfied to leave it to the Garda authorities to take the surplus gardai from the Border, if they think fit, without intervention on the part of the Government? It was Government intervention put them there.

May I get an assurance from the Minister that before any steps are taken to remove gardai from Border areas he will be satisfied that the troubles which have flared up again in the North in the last week or so will not result in people in the North retaliating? For that reason alone people living along the Border areas at this particular time require a very strong Garda force in those areas.

We are entering the realm of argument now.

I am asking the Minister, who is in charge of security, would he take this into consideration?

I am asking the Minister to ensure, before any gardai are removed, that he is happy about the arrangements?

I think the Minister has answered that question already.

Would the Minister care to assure the House that until such time as he is satisfied that security——

The Deputy is aware the Minister has already answered that question.

He has not assured the House. Nobody wants to see a Castleblayney, or a Monaghan, or a Dublin repeated.

I have every confidence in the Garda authorities' competence to decide on the needs of a particular area from the point of view of the duties that have to be performed.

But the Minister will keep himself fully briefed in the matter. I know the Minister nodded his head but the official record does not record nods of the head.

I have every confidence, I repeat, in the ability of the Garda authorities to deploy the force as it should be deployed to meet the demands that have to be met in a particular area at a particular time. I would also like to assure the Deputy that I, as Minister for Justice, am not responsible for the deployment of the Garda Síochána to any of their duties.

I share fully the confidence the Minister has in the Garda force but I want an assurance from him that until such time——

This is repetition. The Chair has called Question No. 17.

I have already given every assurance I can to the Deputy and the House.

17.