Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

The trend in the headline crime statistics for the three quarters to date in 2006 has been positive. The provisional headline crime statistics for the third quarter — the most recent — show a decrease of 1.6% for the quarter compared with the same quarter in 2005. These statistics are the first crime statistics to be published independently by the Central Statistics Office following my decision that new arrangements should be put in place for their publication.

With regard to longer-term crime trends, the level of headline crime in 2005 was lower than that in 2002 by 4.4%. Furthermore, in 1995, when we had a population of 3.6 million, there were 29 serious crimes per 1,000 of the population, while in 2005, with a population of more than 4.1 million, there were 24.6 crimes per 1,000 of the population — 15% fewer crimes per 1,000 of the population. By way of comparison, during 1995 and 1996 there were 29 and 28 crimes per 1,000 population in each of those years.

I am determined that any trends which emerge are addressed as they are identified and that as a result we continue to enjoy crime rates which are low by European standards. To this end I am active on two fronts, by providing the personnel and resources to the Garda Síochána which it requires and by updating the criminal law where that is necessary.

In October 2004, I announced that I was proceeding with the Government's proposal to recruit 2,000 additional gardaí over the life of the Government and an implementation plan to achieve that expansion was drawn up in consultation with the Garda Commissioner. The plan, published in November 2004, envisaged a recruiting strategy that would see the combined strength of the force reaching 14,044 gardaí, including trainees, by the end of 2006. The overall strength of the force, including recruits in training is now 14,137. We have delivered on our target well ahead of schedule because instead of recruiting 1,050 in each year, we increased the number to 1,100.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The expansion of the Garda Síochána is fully on target. Since the first quarter of 2005, approximately 275 recruits have been inducted to the Garda Training College each quarter. This has resulted in the personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána increasing to a record 12,762 on Friday, 8 September 2006, following the attestation of 249 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702, all ranks, as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 2,060, 19%, in the personnel strength of the force during that period. The induction of 280 new Garda recruits to the Garda College on 6 November 2006 has resulted in a combined strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,137.

Excellent progress has been made on the establishment of the Garda Reserve. More than 7,000 have applied to join the reserve. Reserve members will provide valuable support for their full-time colleagues and will enhance the capacity of the Garda Síochána to respond to emerging policing challenges and allow for more gardaí to be visibly deployed on the street. The first group of trainees are due to graduate in December.

The Garda budget now stands at €1.3 billion, which represents a 13% increase on 2005 and an 85% increase since 1997 in real terms. In addition to expenditure on operations, these resources are also being used to provide required facilities. Most recently, significant property has been purchased in Tipperary to provide a major tactical and practical training centre for the force. This will enable a broad range of training facilities to be developed.

High on the Government's list of policing priorities for 2006, which have been incorporated into the Garda Síochána policing plan for the year, is the continued targeting of organised crime, in particular drug trafficking, and the gun culture associated with it, through the use of specialist units and targeted, intelligence-led operations. To achieve this, Operation Anvil commenced in the Garda Dublin Metropolitan Region in May 2005, and it was extended nationwide in 2006 at my request. It 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 checkpoints by uniform, mobile and foot patrols, supported by armed plain-clothes patrols. The operation remains in place and is ongoing. Additional resources have been made available this year for the operation of €11 million, with an additional €10 million made available for further operations to tackle gang related crime. Operation Anvil will continue to be funded to the extent and as long as the Commissioner considers it is necessary to do so and it is fulfilling its objectives.

Operation Anvil has proved to be very successful in disrupting the criminal activities of a number of key criminal gangs. It has resulted in a number of high-profile arrests and the acquisition of intelligence on the movements of criminals. Notable improvements have been achieved in recorded crime in the target crime areas under the operation.

With regard to legislative measures, the Deputy will be aware that the Criminal Justice Act 2006 provides a comprehensive package of anti-crime measures which will enhance the powers of the Garda in the investigation and prosecution of offences. In addition, the Act contains an essential updating of our criminal 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 updates and strengthens the law on firearms. With effect from 1 November, mandatory minimum sentences, of between five and ten years, came into effect 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. There are also new offences concerning the modification of firearms such as "sawing-off" a shotgun.

The Act also contains provisions to deal with anti-social behaviour. It empowers a senior member of the Garda Síochána to apply to the District Court by way of a civil procedure for an order which will prohibit an adult from behaving in an anti-social manner. Separate provision is being made for young people. The Act introduces provisions for behaviour orders for children aged 12 to 18 years into the Children Act 2001 and the protections of that Act will apply. There will be a series of incremental stages, with parental involvement, preceding an application for a behaviour order. These include a warning, a good behaviour contract and referral to the Garda juvenile diversion programme. Only after these stages can a behaviour order be sought through the courts.

Work is under way in the Garda Síochána to make the necessary internal arrangements to ensure the smooth introduction of these new procedures. As soon as these arrangements are in place, and following consultations between my Department, the Office of the Minister for Children and the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, the relevant provisions of the Act will be commenced.

Work is also under way on putting the necessary arrangements in the Garda Síochána to introduce the provisions in the Act whereby a fixed charge notice can be issued for the public order offences of disorderly conduct in a public place and intoxication in a public place.

A criminal justice miscellaneous provisions Bill is being drafted. The Bill will introduce a number of changes and improvements in the operation of the criminal justice system, give legislative effect to a number of international instruments relating to criminal law and facilitate the operation in Ireland of the Schengen Information System. Work is also proceeding on a Bill to provide for the establishment on a statutory basis of a DNA database.

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