Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2006
254 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the extent of the activity of organised criminal gangs represents the sting of a dying wasp or an escalation of crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31058/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraOne of the Government's top policing priorities for 2006 remains that of organised crime, including drug trafficking, and the gun culture associated with it. Tackling organised crime is achieved through the use of specialist units and targeted, intelligence-led operations. An Garda Síochána employ a range of techniques and expertise in the fight against organised crime. The establishment of specialist Garda units, operating under the Assistant Commissioner in charge of National Support Services, has enabled An Garda Síochána to tackle organised crime effectively.
The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is the Garda specialist unit tasked with the role of tackling organised crime. It carries out this role by conducting intelligence-driven operations in close co-operation with other specialist units including the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the Criminal Assets Bureau. I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength (all ranks) of An Garda Síochána increased to a record 12,762 on Friday, 8 September, 2006, following the attestation of 249 new members. The increase in garda numbers which has been achieved will permit senior garda management to deploy these extra resources to target areas of concern.
In financial terms, An Garda Síochána has never been as well resourced, with the 2006 budget reaching a historic high of €1.310 billion. In particular, the 2006 overtime allocation has risen to €83.5m which represents a major increase of 36.6% over the allocation of €61.1m for 2005. This increase will allow An Garda Síochána to further intensify its crime detection and investigation capabilities. The Garda authorities are satisfied that the technology required to assist in the fight against crime is available to them. An Garda Síochána constantly evaluate all available technology with a view to determining the technology best suited to their needs. Significant resources are being invested in technology for the Gardaí to assist them in the exercise of all their functions. The capital allocation for IT in 2006 is €33.323 million. The allocation for communications is €12.9 million.
Operation Anvil commenced in the Dublin Metropolitan Region on 17 May, 2005. This is an intelligence led policing initiative, the focus of which is the targeting of active criminals and their associates involved in serious crime by preventing and disrupting this criminal activity through extensive additional overt patrolling and static check points by uniform, mobile and foot patrols supported by armed plain clothes patrols. The operation remains in place and on-going in the Dublin Metropolitan Region and has been extended nationwide in 2006.
Outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region, a series of special operations, prepared by senior Garda managers and designed to focus on areas and incidents of high crime, are also in place. Operation Anvil has been proved to be very successful in disrupting the criminal activities of a number of key criminal gangs and families and has resulted in a number of high-profile arrests and the collation of intelligence on the movements of criminals being targeted under special initiatives arising from Operation Anvil.
In addition, the Garda Commissioner, in November 2005, augmented the Organised Crime Unit at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation with an additional 55 Gardaí to address the problem of criminal gang activity. Operations carried out by the unit have resulted in firearms being seized and a number of persons arrested, thereby disrupting their criminal activities. In terms of the Government's legislative response, it is widely acknowledged that our legislative package for tackling serious and organised crime is already one of the toughest in Europe. The recently introduced Criminal Justice Act provides a comprehensive package of further anti-crime measures which will help enhance the powers of the Gardaí in the investigation and prosecution of offences. Finally, I can assure the House that I am in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner in order to keep the measures and resources for tackling serious crime under continuing review, and to this end I will continue to ensure that every necessary resource is made available to An Garda Síochána.
