Special patrols set up for car thefts

Gardai have introduced special patrols in parts of Dublin's northside to deal with the rising incidence of so-called joyriding.

The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, said they have also prepared "suitable plans" aimed at reversing the rise in the unauthorised taking of vehicles.

Several gardai have also received instruction in the use and operation of the stinger stopping device, he said, and this has been used as deemed appropriate.

He was responding to Mr Tommy Broughan (Lab, Dublin North-East), who expressed serious concern about the deaths of two youths allegedly driving a stolen car and the "plague of stolen cars and driving in a dangerous way."

Mr Broughan said that many people believed there might be a "policy of containment of this kind of crime in very deprived areas."

He said thousands of his constituents and those in other areas of Dublin's northside "have now to endure this on a nightly basis." He said residents at Glin, Darndale, Belcamp and Kilbarrack "are being terrorised nightly by joyriders," with up to seven or eight cars involved.

"Residents, pedestrians and drivers speak of near misses and narrow escapes," he said. Less than two years ago an elderly woman lost her life in a horrific incident on the Raheny road.

The gardai had the powers under the Road Traffic Act to stop and seize vehicles being driven by unauthorised persons, but they were not using those powers. He added: "We absolutely need to have the strongest penalties for people prepared to hurl half a tonne of vehicle around the roads with no regard for human life."

He called for the allocation of at least another 50 gardai to Raheny and Coolock stations, "if the Garda Commissioner is serious about his plans to deal with joyriding."

The Minister pledged that "the gardai will not let up in their continuing campaign against joyriding and will continue to work with local communities, local authorities and the State services so that all possible steps are taken to deter so-called joyriding."

The gardai "are deeply conscious of the need to secure the support of the public in the worst affected areas" and they had also met Dublin Corporation with a view to introducing additional vehicle restrictions in the Darndale area.

Mr O'Donoghue said, however, that incidents of joyriding "will continue to occur as outlined by the deputy because there are still, despite the efforts of the Garda, parents and community groups, young people who act irresponsibly and steal cars with the added risk to themselves and the general public."