Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 March 2012
463 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gangland executions that have taken place in each of the years to date since 2001; the extent to which the perpetrators have been prosecuted or have themselves been the victims of similar executions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14276/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide the most up to date figures concerning homicide directly to the Deputy. As the Deputy will appreciate, the categorisation described in his question does not form part of the classification applied in the Irish Crime Classification System operated by the CSO.
I would emphasise that there is no justification for any homicide, and that all such crimes are fully investigated by An Garda Síochána. The Gardaí devote all the necessary resources to these investigations and are regularly bringing those involved in serious organised crime before the Courts, securing convictions and a substantial number of such criminals are now serving sentences in prison. The Commissioner and the members of the Force have my full support in this regard.
