Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I have already promised that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties but will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing such as Operation Anvil. The Commissioner is committed to that policy.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The Garda Síochána is now better resourced than at any time in its history. The Garda budget is now at an historical high of more than €1.1 billion, representing an increase of 85% in the provision since 1997 when the provision stood at just €600 million.

In addition to operational initiatives such as these, I am proposing a comprehensive package of anti-crime measures in the Criminal Justice Bill 2004, which is on Second Stage in the House. These measures will enhance the powers of gardaí in the investigation and prosecution of offences. The Bill contains an essential updating of our law to ensure that criminal offences can be investigated and prosecuted in a way which is efficient and fair and which meets the needs of modern society. It will also address such matters as the preservation of crime scenes, increased periods of detention in the case of arrestable offences, search warrant powers for the Garda Síochána, amendments to the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence) Act 1990, provision for fixed penalty procedures in respect of certain public order offences and the admissibility of statements by witnesses who subsequently refuse to testify or who retract their original statements.

The Bill also provides for the creation of criminal offences relating to organised crime, the strengthening of provisions on the imposition of the ten-year mandatory minimum sentence for drug trafficking, new offences of supplying drugs to prisoners, the creation of a drug offenders register, provisions to deal with anti-social behaviour and amendment of the Explosives Act 1875 to update fines and penalties and provisions relating to fireworks.

I am finalising proposals for the inclusion in the Bill of provisions which will introduce a significant strengthening of the law with respect to firearms. These will be amendments to the Firearms Acts 1925 to 2000 which will include, among other things, increased fines and penalties relating to offences generally under the Firearms Acts and the creation of mandatory minimum sentences of between five and ten years for certain firearms offences, including possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, possession of a firearm with criminal intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, possession of a firearm while hijacking a vehicle and use or production of a firearm to resist arrest.

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