Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1999

Vol. 509 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Armed Robberies.

Mr. Higgins

(Mayo): The armed raid on the Dublin Airport branch of Bank of Ireland last Friday, 29 October, was not a hit or miss affair. It was a well planned, professional operation carried out with meticulous timing and precision.

It began at 5.42 a.m. and was completed at 5.44 a.m. It took a total of 2 minutes 40 seconds, according to the Aer Rianta security footage. Two or possibly three balaclava clad raiders rammed their BMW into the window of the bank while another raider waited outside the bank in a black Toyota sports car stolen from East Wall on 18 October. At least two weapons, a sawn-off shotgun and a hand gun, were used. Approximately £100,000 was taken and the raiders are still at large. This is an extremely serious matter. Irrespective of how the Minister might like to bandy statistics about things getting better or statistics improving, his zero tolerance policy is not working. The Garda statistics, the official statistics, speak for themselves.

According to the Garda annual report, there were 61 armed robberies in 1998. That is a very large number. We are talking about situations where raiders used lethal firearms on 61 occasions to execute their robberies. Of the 61 armed robberies, only 22 cases were brought before the courts or are currently the subject of proceedings. That is equally worrying.

This year there has been, what can only be described as, a huge upsurge in armed robberies. Figures for the period up to June this year show there were 92 aggravated burglaries involving the use of firearms and there were 391 aggravated burglaries involving the use of other weapons. It is comforting to read on the front page of the Irish Independent on Monday, 2 August “Worried Garda Blitz on Gun Gangs”. It was reported that Garda chiefs have ordered special units to target known criminal gangs responsible for a big upsurge in armed robberies. It was also reported that the Garda confirm they are extremely worried that armed robberies have more than doubled in the 12 month period.

We recall the major paramilitary style raid on a security van in Dalkey last January that netted more than £1 million, which was thwarted only when the get away car broke down, yet those raiders are still at large. Almost immediately afterwards there was a major bank raid in Waterford and those raiders are still at large. Instead of matters improving, they have got worse and the figures testify to that.

In the case of the Dublin Airport raid, what is particularly worrying is that it was carried out with such ease and facility. Anybody who visits Dublin Airport is struck by what appears to be a heavy security presence. Whenever I visited the airport there was a security guard at the entrance to where motorists drive up the ramp to the Departures level. There is a highly visible presence of security guards as one gets out the driver's side of one's car in set down area for passengers, yet the two raiders were able to drive past security, smash their way into the bank and made a clean get away. Why was the security presence at the airport unable to do anything about this or to prevent what occurred? Surely the purpose of a security presence is to cater for such an eventu ality. What has happened in the meantime to prevent a recurrence of this?

The Minister will be aware that senior gardaí admitted the Garda has advance intelligence suggesting a number of Dublin criminal gangs were planning armed raids and that memos to this effect were circulated to Garda officers. The Garda assert they did not have specific advance information about the Dublin Airport raid. One must ask why that information was not acted upon and security on banks tightened. Surely the armed presence of paramilitaries visible on an increasing basis should have merited more of a security initiative?

The Minister must order a security review of banks and all financial institutions, and it must happen on a two-fold basis. First, the banks must tighten their security. They are multimillion pound profit organisations, dependent on security as a key element. They must put their houses in order. Second, the Garda must do what they promised they would on 2 August – they must mount a massive blitz on what, by any standard, is a growing cause of considerable anxiety from the point of view of public safety. We need a major clampdown on violent crime.

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

As the House will appreciate, the question of responsibility for security of aviation facilities is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise. In those circumstances I will confine my comments to the House to the question of the armed raid to which Deputy Higgins referred and not to airport security in general.

I understand from the Garda authorities that at approximately 5.30 a.m. on 29 October the Bank of Ireland branch at Dublin Airport opened for business with a staff of three present. At 5.45 a.m. approximately, a vehicle reversed through the window of the bank and a number of raiders entered the premises. A quantity of cash made up in various currencies was taken and the raiders fled the scene in a second vehicle. One vehicle was left at the scene and the second one was recovered at 9 a.m. approximately at the Naul, County Dublin in a burnt out condition. Information to date suggests four raiders were involved in the robbery, some of whom were armed.

Needless to say, an extensive investigation – including forensic and technical examination of the scene and vehicles – under the direction of the chief superintendent in Santry is ongoing. Thankfully, no one was injured in this incident and I am sure all Members will join me in condemning criminal acts such as these.

While this crime was a bank robbery, that it took place in Dublin Airport raises other issues of concern. I understand my colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise, will soon convene a meeting of the National Civil Aviation Security Committee to discuss what lessons, if any, may emerge for improving security arrangements at Dublin Airport. As the House may be aware, membership of the committee includes the Departments of Public Enterprise, Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Defence as well as the Garda Síochána and Aer Rianta. I understand the committee will be very much guided by the Garda as to the timing and substance of these discussions.

While it would not be appropriate for me to go into the detail of the type of protection afforded by the Garda, I assure the House that the Garda liaise closely with the companies involved in the transit and storage of cash on an ongoing basis to ensure the best possible security arrangements.

With regard to crime trends in general, armed robberies and armed aggravated burglaries have shown a strong and sustained decrease in recent years. The latest figures published show that Garda statistics for these offences indicate that in 1998 there were 68 per cent fewer armed crimes reported than in 1994—

Mr. Higgins

(Mayo): What about 1997?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Allow the Minister to continue without interruption.

Mr. O'Donoghue

—and the detection rate had improved from 27 per cent to 40 per cent over that time. That disproves what Deputy Higgins had to say in this respect.

Mr. Higgins

(Mayo): I quoted Garda figures.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Deputy, allow the Minister to continue.

Mr. O'Donoghue

I am concerned about any armed robbery and I note that while there is an upward trend in armed raids this year, the current level is still well below that of 1996. Armed raids on banks, in particular, are rare. Thirty six armed raids on banks were recorded in 1996, ten in 1997 and 31 in 1998.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.10 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 3 November 1999.