The Chairman has briefly introduced the team but I shall do so again. Mr. Martin Callinan is my deputy commissioner of operations, Mr. Gerry Blake is the chief superintendent in charge of crime policy. Ms Sinead McSweeney is my director of communications. I thank the Chairman for the invitation to attend the committee today to discuss important issues of concern to the committee and to the wider community. The committee asked me to deal with crime policy, the annual policing plans, policing priorities and other current topics. I will cover these briefly in my opening statement and I can then take further questions on those and any other areas members wish to raise.
The strength of the organisation as of 31 December 2008 was 14,412 sworn members. That includes all ranks. There were 330 reserve members. There were 2,693 civilians which is equal to 2,099 whole time equivalents employed in various administrative, professional and technical posts as of the same date. We in the Garda Síochána have made significant progress to date in the recruitment of civilian staff at all levels and grades yielding new efficiencies and introducing new expertise throughout the Garda organisation. At senior level we have appointed a chief administrative officer, an executive director of ICT, a head of legal services, a director of communications and a number of analysts.
In structural terms, we have recently revised some divisional boundaries to bring them into line with local authority boundaries enabling us to work more effectively with joint policing committees. In 2008 the overall budget for the Garda Vote was almost €1.578 billion. The budget provision for 2009 is €1.55 billion.
Turning to crime and crime policy, when I became Commissioner more than a year ago I stated that my priority was to ensure that people were safe and felt safe in their homes and on our streets. With that in mind I have several clear objectives. We must maintain a strong role for community policing. The community is at the heart of everything we do and the community is our greatest ally in dealing with crime. The Garda Síochána has a long established tradition of fostering and developing close relationships within the communities it serves. To renew and reinvigorate those relationships and the structure of our community policing function, we have developed a new national model of community policing which I launched yesterday with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform at the opening of the Ballymun divisional headquarters station. That model has been informed by submissions from members of the public and various interested parties and builds on the success of existing good community policing practice in which we have been engaged throughout Ireland for many years. I am committed to enhancing the organisational importance and attractiveness of the community policing role among Garda staff and to ensuring that there is a strong ethos of community policing throughout the entirety of the Garda Síochána. The end objectives are an increased level of community partnerships, a more visible Garda presence and a reduction in crime and the fear of crime in our communities.
I am determined that there will be a clear focus to all our operations and investigations. All of our activity must be targeted to achieve maximum results. Whether we are determining the levels and scope of patrols, prioritising our roads policing or tackling the most serious and organised crime, our operations are intelligence-led and knowledge based. This approach is clearly evident and necessary in the area of drug crime. Much serious criminal activity and a significant percentage of less serious crime, has its roots in the illicit drugs trade. The commitment of the Garda Síochána to tackling this scourge in co-operation with our partners at home and abroad is undiminished.
During 2008 there was a significant increase in the quantity of seizures of illegal drugs across almost all types when compared to 2007. In addition, there was an increase of the order of 20% in the number of drugs offences detected compared to 2O07. During 2008, the Garda Síochána conducted a number of successful covert and overt operations against the illicit drugs trade. In addition to the remit of the Garda National Drugs Unit on a national level, we now have active drugs units in every Garda division in the state, with 379 officers employed on local drug investigations.
We also further enhanced our commitment to international efforts to thwart the international trade in drugs by posting a liaison sergeant to the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics, MAOC-N, based in Lisbon, Portugal from where the movement of drugs by sea is monitored by an international team of police, customs, and other agencies. I view this as a very significant development, given Ireland's island status. This international partnership was hugely significant in the context of the seizure off the south-west coast recently. The Garda Síochána consistently demonstrates a strong resolve to tackle the supply side of the drugs trade. As a society, there is a wider challenge for us in addressing the demand side.
Turning to overall crime, the Central Statistics Office now has statutory responsibility for the publication of national crime figures and the official figures for 2008 are not yet publicly available. I can say, however, that there was a slight increase over the course of the year in what were previously known as headline crimes although the trend in the second half of the year was downwards and we are seeking to continue that in 2009.
During the year, 51 murders and three cases of manslaughter were recorded. This compares to 77 murders and seven cases of manslaughter recorded during 2007. Firearms murders, particularly those associated with organised criminal activity continue to present a significant challenge. Firearms were used in 21 of the 51 recorded murders in 2008. Sixteen of these are linked to organised crime.
In regard to gangland crime, to date we have seen several serious incidents related to so-called gangland crime. In responding to those crimes, we have well resourced investigation teams in place which draw together both local and national resources and expertise. Those teams have already recovered firearms which were most probably used in two of the incidents. Their determined work to solve the crimes is ongoing. We are continuing our existing proactive operations and initiatives to target the individuals involved. Gardaí are out there every day and every night intercepting people, disrupting their activities, making arrests, and seizing firearms and drugs. That activity is relentless and recent public reporting of some successes is but an indication of the true level of what we are achieving.
As Commissioner, I am clear on what is required of the Garda Síochána in tackling this criminality and addressing the devastation, fear and intimidation it causes in some communities. I am confident that we have the capacity, experience and expertise required to do so. Let no one underestimate the challenge involved. We are dealing with people — sometimes quite young people — who have a reckless disregard for human life and who, with cynical ease, resort to extreme violence and seek to settle scores, recover drug debts and claim territory down the barrel of a gun.
We in the Garda Síochána, have a high level of knowledge about the activities of the main players and gangs involved. However, the crucial step is translating that information and knowledge into evidence, getting these people before the courts and securing convictions. I have spoken on previous occasions about the difficulties we face in that regard, including the absence of eye witnesses, lack of forensic evidence, witness intimidation and so on. We are working hard to overcome those obstacles.
Of equal importance is that fact that we also continue to build on our existing strong links with communities so they can have the trust, confidence and reassurance that is necessary to reduce the fear of crime. By working together we can rid their communities of the scourge which impacts adversely on their daily lives.
The annual policing plan 2009 was published in December and includes the priorities of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is based on consultation with the community and other partners, and outlines the key actions which we will undertake in pursuing our core activity which is the prevention and detection of crime. Under the plan we will continue to target those people who are committing crime at all levels, including organised crime and drug crime. We will also focus on anti-social behaviour and public disorder, which affects the quality of life in local communities.
In line with our continuing commitment to road safety and roads policing we will work with other agencies to change driver behaviour and reduce deaths on our roads. The plan is directed at achieving that objective and ensuring that we consistently seek to deliver the highest standards of professional policing for the community.
We are continuing an ambitious programme of change and modernisation which flows from our corporate strategy 2007-2009 entitled, A Time for Change. This programme aims to ensure that I am leading a professional and progressive organisation, capable of meeting and sustaining the challenges of 21st century policing within a dynamic and changing political, social, demographic and policing environment.
I will leave it there and deal with any questions the members wish to raise with me.