Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

In response to Deputy D'Arcy's question, Operation Anvil was extended to the entire country in 2006. However, I take his point that there is a particular need to keep an eye on the very large new suburbs that have developed in the Leinster area, cognate areas in Munster outside Cork and Limerick and in areas outside Galway. I certainly will bring this to the attention of the Garda authorities.

Operation Anvil does apply outside Dublin. One of the matters which has been progressed in recent months is the appointment of divisional profilers in each division to liaise with the Criminal Assets Bureau in respect of local intelligence about persons with unexplained assets in rural and provincial communities. That network of profilers has been established in recent months.

In respect the point raised by Deputy Ó Snodaigh about Garda information, we all know that a certain relationship exists between the news gatherer and the news provider in every walk of life. However, I can say that at Garda headquarters, a new head of communications in the form of a civilian post has been now established and appointed and I believe there will be considerable analysis of Garda communications in the month ahead.

In respect of Deputy Charles Flanagan's query about guns, this is a subject in itself. There is no doubt that the widespread use of guns in Ireland resulted from the outbreak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland from the 1960s onwards. Unfortunately, the ending of the Troubles has not seen the end of the proliferation of guns and their use in criminal activity. The reverse has happened and we have seen the habituation of their use in the criminal culture. As Deputy Charles Flanagan is aware, very strict legislation was enacted during his temporary absence from this House which provides for very severe penalties for possession and for the tightening up of the regime. An amnesty was also offered to those who would surrender such weapons.

Despite all these measures, a considerable problem with firearms remains. The information available to me is that, much like drugs, they are being smuggled into the country and that it is very difficult to put this down. The incidence of gun trades worldwide has increased with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the putting on the market of a very large number of weapons in many different jurisdictions. Weapons are being smuggled into Ireland. Indeed, one of the Garda Síochána's successes last weekend was the seizure of a substantial amount of such weapons at a location in County Kildare.

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