Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy O'Donnell for raising this matter. I assure him that I share his concern and the concern of all right-thinking citizens about gangland crime in general and particularly in Limerick.

I strongly condemn the killing of Mark Maloney and James Cronin in such callous circumstances and extend my sympathy to their families. The House will be aware that a person has been charged in connection with one of the killings. I am informed that the Garda is making progress in the investigation of the second killing. The House will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on these cases at this time. The rapidity of the Garda response in these instances is an illustration of the enormous concentration of Garda personnel that is already deployed in the Limerick area.

It is well known that there has been for some time a vicious feud between factions in Limerick and a series of tit-for-tat killings. The people involved, through their activities, are ruining their own lives and the lives of others and future generations. This vicious spiral has to stop. As chief superintendent Keane in Limerick stated, there are no winners on any side in this feud. Instead it is resulting in death, serious injuries, disabilities and long terms of imprisonment.

The Garda will continue to take resolute action to meet the challenges posed by the gangs. The Commissioner has adopted a hard-policing approach and has deployed a unit from the emergency response unit, ERU, on a 24-hour basis. The ERU team is under the supervision of local Garda management and is operating through a series of patrolling and checkpoints. The ERU deployment provides support for regular policing activities and at the same time provides reassurance to the law-abiding communities of Limerick. The ERU assignment is additional to the number already delivered on foot of the Fitzgerald commitment of 70 gardaí which Deputy O'Donnell fairly acknowledged.

The areas most affected are intensively policed, with additional resources, both armed and uniform, being deployed at short notice depending on intelligence received or in response to incidents involving feuding factions. Currently two armed patrols exclusively cover two of the most affected areas of the city on a 24-hour basis. The operation of the gangs in these areas is kept under constant surveillance.

Reference has been made in the House and elsewhere in recent days to the issue of covert surveillance operations. The Garda undertakes this activity on a regular basis. Deputies should appreciate, however, that it is not normal practice for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to divulge the character and nature of these operations in the House. The Garda uses covert operations and methods of surveillance on a daily basis and in a targeted manner, including against suspected gang members. Gardaí also have recourse to telephone intercepts and call related information. Deputies will appreciate that for obvious reasons it would not be appropriate for me to detail the nature and extent of this monitoring.

The Garda has had significant successes in recent years in meeting the evolving challenge of policing Limerick as a result of active monitoring on a daily basis and proactive and preventive policing measures based on intelligence received. The intensity of the Garda operation is reflected in the fact that 70 firearms of all types and calibres were recovered in Limerick division in 2007 and 80 in 2006. There are no grounds for complacency and the challenge will remain for some time.

Considerable resources will continue to be put into containing and pursuing this gang activity. Whatever resources are necessary will be provided by the Commissioner. There is no question of reducing Garda overtime for tackling gangland crime. There has been a significant increase in the number of personnel deployed. An additional 70 officers have been deployed to Limerick in the past 12 months, bringing the total strength there to 602, the highest number ever deployed in the Limerick division. By comparison, at the end of 1997 there were 423 personnel, 42% fewer than at present. I confirm in reply to the Deputy's demand for further increases that the Commissioner intends to increase personnel strength further in the course of this year.

At the same time as confronting gang related crime, the Garda is committed to the community policing ethos. Almost 80 officers are dedicated exclusively to community policing patrols, particularly in the areas of highest concern. I welcome the very active joint policing committee functioning in Limerick city, a useful forum for the Garda.

The law against gangland activity is exceptionally robust. The Deputy seeks that gangland membership be made a specific criminal offence. I remind the House that the Criminal Justice Act 2006 already criminalises the involvement of a person with a criminal gang, punishable by up to five years' imprisonment. The offence is one of contributing to or participation in an activity of a criminal organisation where the intention is to enhance the ability of or facilitate the organisation to commit a serious offence.

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