THE tourist industry should help finance the voluntary group set up to assist foreign visitors who have been robbed or attacked, a victim support conference has heard.
Last year, the Tourist Victim Support Service (TVSS), which has an office at the Garda's Dublin headquarters in Harcourt Square, helped 772 tourists who had been robbed.
The Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, whose Department part finances the support service, yesterday commended its members for their practical work and the "emotional support" they give to tourists who had their belongings stolen.
In 1996, about 3,600 tourists were robbed, the majority of them in Dublin, the third annual conference of TVSS heard yesterday. Most such crimes occur around the tourist centres from Trinity College to Temple Bar, Christchurch and the Guinness Hop Store on Thomas Street.
Mr Derek Nally, chairman of the service, paid tribute to gardai in Dublin for targeting the thieves and robbers who preyed on tourists. Analysis had shown the likely places and times of such crimes, and the Garda had committed resources and personnel to counteract this. There had been significant decreases in crimes against tourists in the O'Connell Street and St Patrick's/Christchurch area in the past year.
A Garda Assistant Commissioner, Mr Tom King, who has responsibility for policing in Dublin, said gardai expected to see a further fall in the numbers of crimes against tourists in Dublin in 1997.