Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:1408. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice the status of activity to deal with major organised crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41043/21]
View answerTuesday, 27 July 2021
Questions (1408)
Written answers
I can assure the Deputy that tackling organised criminal activity is a key priority for the Government, and an ongoing priority for An Garda Síochána.
The Government has supported An Garda Síochána in addressing the threat from organised crime gangs through the introduction of legislative measures such as:
- The Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2016 which provides additional Garda powers for the immediate seizure of assets suspected of being the proceeds of crime to prevent them being disposed of;
- The Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014, providing for the establishment and operation of the DNA database providing Gardaí with links between people and unsolved crimes;
- The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009, introduced to protect the justice system from being subverted by criminal groups, including potential intimidation of juries.
An Garda Síochána has also been allocated an unprecedented €1.92 billion euro in Budget 2021 to increase recruitment, improve facilities and equipment and also to aid in the roll out of the organisational changes recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, including the new Garda Operating Model. Further redeployment of sworn Garda members to front-line policing duties, where their skills, training and expertise can be of most use, is continuing in line with these changes.
An Garda Síochána continues to develop and implement strategies to dismantle and disrupt criminal networks, utilising advanced analytical and intelligence methods. Gardaí target serious criminals and organised criminal groups through the use of focused intelligence led operations by specialist units such as the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, the Criminal Assets Bureau, and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. An Garda Síochána regularly liaises and cooperates with their international policing and security partners, such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL, in their mutual objective of combatting transnational organised crime.