Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 63 together.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the robberies referred to by the Deputies are the subject of ongoing investigations. I understand the Garda authorities have set up an incident room at Santry Garda station to investigate the two robberies of security vans in Dublin during the month of March and an extensive investigation is under way.

The available information regarding the total amount taken in raids on security vans and the number of such cases in which charges have been laid relates to 2004 and 2005 to date. With regard to 2004, approximately €3.4 million was taken in raids on security vans. Six people are before the courts in relation to these raids. I am further informed that since the beginning of 2005 approximately €5 million has been taken in raids on security vans and that three people are before the courts charged in relation to these raids.

In regard to action taken before the recent robberies, as the Deputies are probably aware, Operation Delivery was initiated in June 2004 in direct response to the increase in robberies of cash in transit in the Dublin area. The operation is under the control of a detective superintendent in the national bureau of criminal investigation. Among the activities undertaken are profiling and targeting of suspects; searching of premises associated with suspects; disruption of activities of suspects; surveillance of suspects; liaising with cash in transit companies; and intelligence gathering and analysis.

Operations have resulted in the arrest and charging of a number of suspects and the recovery of a number of firearms. The numbers of robberies of cash in transit have continued to decrease since the operation was established in June 2004. In the first three months of 2004 there were 12 robberies involving security vans compared with seven in the first three months of this year. While this represents a decrease of 40% in incidents, as Deputies will be quick to point out, there was an increase in the amount of cash taken quarter on quarter.

I am assured by the commissioner that the necessary resources are being directed towards the containment and detection of such serious criminal activity. On Thursday, 31 March, following the armed robbery of a Brinks Allied security van early on 30 March at Artane when approximately €1.9 million was stolen, I met representatives of the main banks, An Post, the Central Bank and the major cash in transit service providers. I was accompanied by the Garda Commissioner, Mr. Noel Conroy, and the chief executive of the Private Security Authority, Ms Geraldine Larkin.

Many of the participants at the meeting, who are central to the movement of currency in the State, have been meeting as a forum since November 2004. The terms of reference of the forum are to co-ordinate the sharing and gathering of information on the security of delivery and collection of cash to bank branches and ATMs; identify strategic issues and promote best practice for the transmission and storage of cash; and develop an agreed code of practice.

At the meeting, I emphasised the massive social implications of these robberies when millions of euro find their way into the hands of organised crime gangs. Such robberies threaten the integrity and security of civil society. I informed the participants that the Government must ensure that proper procedures and standards are in place to combat the threat to security employees, their families and the public and that measures would have to be taken to ensure that the highest standards would be established and adhered to in cash escorts and cash holding centres.

I indicated my preference for voluntary agreement on a code of practice that would see the industry operating to the highest international standards. The forum has been considering such a draft code of practice since November 2004. If such agreement on a code of practice cannot be adopted voluntarily within the next 120 days, I indicated that I would have no choice but to regulate to ensure that standards are raised. However, my preference remains that key players acting in partnership voluntarily agree to act in the interests of their industry, their employees and the public. Agreement, if and when achieved, will represent the first time that the main stakeholders have committed themselves to operating to agreed standards of procedure and equipment.

In tandem with this, the Private Security Authority has a statutory responsibility to license companies operating in this area. The authority has decided to commence work on the development of a national standard in parallel with the work of the forum. The standard will form the basis of statutory licensing of cash in transit companies. As the authority is independent, I do not want to prejudge its deliberations on this matter. However, I would hope that if the voluntary code of practice is of a sufficiently high standard and concluded within the timeframe of the authority's work, it could form the basis of the national standard that would be required for the issuance of a licence. My officials are closely monitoring the 120-day period and activity in the area.

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