AGSI ANNUAL CONFERENCE:THE GOVERNMENT should introduce legislation that legally obliges pub and nightclub owners to install CCTV systems in an effort to deal with serious assaults, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has said.
Gardaí believe some victims of assault are so drunk in nightclubs that they do not realise the serious nature of the attacks they have been subjected to.
The association also believes many revellers who witness assaults feel too fearful to give evidence or are too drunk to remember.
AGSI wants CCTV systems in all premises so they can bring footage of violent incidents as evidence to the courts.
At the closing session in Trim, Co Meath, of AGSI's annual conference, Sgt Martin Hannigan of the Laois/Offaly division told delegates that assaults in pubs and nightclubs were a growing problem.
"The idea is that these premises be subject to having CCTV and it being a condition of the granting of their licence. Gardaí would be able to go to these premises and would be in a position to gather evidence after assaults."
He said if gardaí had good quality footage of attacks, it would enable them to overcome problems that arise with a prosecution where witnesses were too afraid to come forward. The conference also heard calls from delegates for gardaí to be equipped with pepper sprays and for public order units to be deployed at night in towns and cities experiencing drink and drug-related violence.
Away from public order, delegates also voted for a motion instructing its national executive to lobby the Department of Justice and Health Service Executive (HSE) to establish an out-of-hours social worker service for at-risk juveniles.
Sgt Peter Butler from Tipperary told delegates when gardaí were called upon to invoke Section 12 of the Children's Act, and take children from their homes to a place of safety, they had very few options. Children were being taken for care to a local hospital and in some cases were being looked after by gardaí at Garda stations.
"When we're trying to contact a social worker and if it's after 5 o'clock on a weekday or at the weekends, we're having difficulty getting in contact with them."
He said while gardaí had many out-of-hours numbers to ring to contact social workers, these often rang out.
Gardaí were now being called upon "very regularly" to take children out of poor domestic situations where they were adjudged to be at risk.
"This is a HSE problem really and yet the gardaí are left holding the baby or the child. We're looking for them to assist us in doing our job."
Assistant Commissioner Louis Harkin addressed delegates about AGSI's concerns on proposed boundary changes to Garda divisions.
The boundaries are to be changed to more closely match local authority boundaries.
Mr Harkin said the boundary changes would be done pragmatically and that none would adversely impact the day-to-day operations of the force.
The first changes to take place will be the separation in June of the Wicklow/Wexford Garda division into two single county divisions. The same process will take place with the Louth/Meath division.
