Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 3

Written Answers. - Criminal Justice System.

Joan Burton

Question:

87 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps the Government intends to take to deal with the activities of criminal gangs; if new legislative or procedural measures are required; the additional resources being provided to the gardaí to help them combat organised criminal gangs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28233/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

322 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the extent to which new crime gangs have emerged; the way in which it is possible for them to continue in operation while obviously flaunting their ill-gotten gains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28417/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

323 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the extent to which organised crime bosses are under constant investigation, either through the Bureau of Criminal Investigation or CAB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28418/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 322 and 323 together.

I refer Deputies to my responses to Private Notice Questions on 4 November 2003 and the Private Members' motion on 18 November 2003 in which I dealt comprehensively with the issues raised in these questions.

In regard to the specific issues raised by the Deputies in these questions, I reiterate that Garda resources are currently at their highest ever level of approximately 11,900 and it is the policy of the Government to prioritise Garda recruitment and training to bring the force to its maximum authorised strength of 12,200 as soon as possible.

While I am undertaking a review of the adequacy of legislative provisions, our legislative package for tackling organised crime is one of the toughest in Europe. There is a broad range of strong legislation available to the Garda to enable serious and organised crime to be confronted effectively. The Criminal Assets Bureau Act and the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996, which have been successfully used to deprive those in criminal activity of their assets, continue to be one of the most significant legislative tools.

The Criminal Assets Bureau continues to be successful in responding to serious and organised crime by targeting and seizing the profits of such crime, with the bureau in 2002 obtaining interim orders to the value of more than €34 million and interlocutory orders –"final" restraint orders – to the value of over €10 million. A total of 26 orders were obtained by CAB under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 in 2002 as follows: 12 interim orders under section 2, seven interlocutory orders under section 3 and seven receivership orders under section 7.