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Crime Levels.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2006

Tuesday, 4 July 2006

Questions (556, 557)

Joan Burton

Question:

569 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals to deal with the number of unsolved murders, gangland killings and other serious crimes committed in recent years in the Dublin 15 area which remain unsolved; his views on whether confidence in the criminal justice system is eroded by failure to apprehend people who commit serious criminal acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25782/06]

View answer

Written answers

I wish to assure the Deputy that I consider murder to be the most heinous of crimes and that the significant resources available to the Garda authorities will be brought to bear in a focused and methodical way in order to bring the persons involved in these crimes to account.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that a number of individuals have been arrested and questioned in relation to murders which have taken place in the Dublin 15 area. I am further informed that where a prima facie case has been established a file is forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for his directions as to what charges if any should be preferred. In cases where insufficient evidence is available at this time to forward a file to the DPP, all avenues of investigation are actively pursued.

All killings, regardless of the circumstances involved, are the subject of rigorous investigation by An Garda Síochána. While the term "gangland murders" tends to be widely used in the media in referring to the nature of certain unlawful killings and speculation in this respect is understandable, this does not correspond to the manner in which An Garda Síochána classifies crime or particular offences. Caution is necessary in ascribing particular motives to any particular incident as, potentially, this might jeopardise the procedures which need to be followed for the proper investigation and prosecution of offences.

The Government's top policing priority for 2006 continues to be to target organised crime, including drug trafficking, and the gun culture associated with it. This is being implemented through deployment by the Garda authorities of specialist units and the use of targeted operations to tackle specific criminal activities. I am in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner in order to keep the measures and resources for tackling serious crime under continuing review.

Operation Anvil has proven to be very successful in disrupting the criminal activities of a number of key criminal gangs. It has resulted in a number of high-profile arrests and the acquisition of intelligence on the movements of criminals. The Operation has been extended nationwide. A budget of approximately €11 million was allocated for Operation Anvil during 2006, and the Garda Commissioner has been advised that an additional €10 million has been made available for further operations to tackle gang related crime.

Also, in November last year, the Garda Commissioner augmented the Organised Crime Unit at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation by an additional 55 Garda members to address the problem of gangland activity. Enforcement by the Unit has resulted in a number of arrests, seizure of firearms and the disruption of criminal activities.

The Criminal Justice Bill, 2004 contains a range of measures to strengthen the law governing the control of firearms. These new measures include increases in fines and penalties generally for offences under the Firearms Acts and the creation of mandatory minimum sentences, of between five and ten years, for certain firearms offences, including possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, possession of firearm with criminal intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, possession of a firearm while hijacking a vehicle, and use or production of a firearm to resist arrest. The Bill also makes provision for criminal offences in relation to participation in a criminal organisation and provisions relating to the 10 year mandatory minimum sentence for drug trafficking.

Joan Burton

Question:

570 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the figures for serious crimes such as homicide, fraud, burglary and sexual offences broken down by category for the Dublin west district; the same figures for the Dublin 15 area; the percentage of cases for all of the above categories in both the Dublin west district and specifically in the Dublin 15 area for which proceedings were initiated and convictions were recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25783/06]

View answer

Headline crime statistics for the Garda Division of Dublin West are contained in the relevant Garda Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. I am informed by the Garda authorities that crime statistics are compiled on the basis of Garda operational areas and do not correspond to postal districts.

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