Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I utterly condemn the barbaric and senseless killings in Finglas today as well as the tragic slaying of Alan Cunniffe on Friday in Kilkenny. What else can I add to what I have said about some of the recent other murders? I said here two weeks ago when a mother was shot in Swords that there have been too many gun murders. This year there has been 23 to date, with 21 last year. Two years ago, there was a small figure, nine, although one is too many. There have been two bad years, I will not say anything else, with 44 murders. The figure has increased from nine to 23 this year.

What are we doing and what can we do? Deputies can be assured that a major Garda operation is underway to deal with the perpetrators of the Finglas murders. The Tánaiste has spoken to the Garda Commissioner and senior gardaí today. A senior, experienced garda has been put in charge of the investigation. I have seen some of the details but I am constrained from giving information. The Tánaiste, however, will give further details later.

I extend my sympathies to the families concerned. The fact that one of the victims was a young apprentice going about his work makes his murder doubly horrific, if that is possible. The Tánaiste and the gardaí have clearly stated that no stone will be left unturned in hunting down the killers in any of these murders. I assure the House there is no question of a lack of resources or laws. Deputy Rabbitte knows there is plenty of legislation on the Statute Book and there are sentencing procedures to deal with these issues. The issue is to apprehend those responsible.

Operation Anvil has been in place for the last year and a half to deal with this sort of drug-related crime, which most of these murders are, although some of them involve internal conflicts between gangs and individuals concerned. Operation Anvil has a large number of gardaí dedicated to dealing with this issue. In doing so, there have been 56 arrests for murder since the unit was established, with 800 arrests for robbery, 1,700 arrests for burglary and 800 for serious assaults. They have arrested almost 3,400 in that operation alone.

In recent months, Operation Oak, an intelligence operation, was undertaken by a large number of gardaí to target gangs and individuals. It may not be news to the House, but a large proportion of the resources of Operation Oak targeted the individual murdered today. Many detectives were involved in that operation because of the activities of that individual.

I regret that these things happen. They are drug-related and gang-related and the laws are there but the resources in place for both Operation Anvil and Operation Oak, which are focussed on the man murdered today, did not stop these murders from happening. That cannot deter the gardaí, however, who must continue their efforts to the best of their professional ability using the resources they have been given to deal with these gangs and individuals, particularly those who have been engaged in disputes for the last 18 months.

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