Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 6

Written Answers. - Garda Investigations.

Seamus Brennan

Question:

68 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Justice the progress, if any, which has been made in relation to the investigation of contract or gangland killings in the State during 1995 and 1996; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2141/97]

Robert Molloy

Question:

81 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Justice the changes, if any, which have been made in the Garda Síochána in response to the large number of unsolved murders in 1996; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2191/97]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 81 together.

I can assure the Deputies that all killings, however described, are the subject of an exhaustive investigative process by the Garda Síochána. I am advised by the Garda authorities that the investigation of all crime, including murder, is the responsibility of the local district officer and that all investigations were organised and conducted in such a way as to ensure that the maximum progress was achieved during 1995 and 1996.

Furthermore, I understand from the Garda authorities that in view of the trend in recent times in different forms of criminal activity, they have reviewed the structure of the specialist units attached to Garda headquarters and the Central Detective Unit at Harcourt Square. As a result of this review the expertise and resources available to these individual units have been combined to from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation under the control of a chief superintendent. The resources of this unit will be available to investigate any serious crime, including murder, should the local district officer require same. This is, of course, in addition to the existing specialist services available in the form of fingerprint, ballistic, photography and forensic expertise at Garda headquarters.

I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the new bureau is under the control of the assistant commissioner responsible for all crime related matters. The expertise of other specialist Garda units such as the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Criminal Assets Bureau and the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, which are also under the control of the aforementioned assistant commissioner, can be called in to assist in any investigation throughout the country where expertise in any of these areas is warranted.

The Deputies may wish to note that 41 murders were recorded in 1995 of which nine remain undetected, and 41 murders were recorded in 1996 of which 12 are still undetected. Overall during 1995 and 1996 the proportion of murders detected to date is 78 per cent and 71 per cent respectively.