Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I am grateful to both Deputies for raising this matter. When we discuss this issue on Thursday, we will have a better opportunity to consider some of the valid points raised by Deputy O'Donnell in particular. I do not accept that there is a laid-back attitude when one considers that this House passed significant legislation in 2006 and 2007.

Shane Geoghegan was a respected young man brutally gunned down in the early hours of last Sunday morning. This young man was a valued member of a close-knit community to which he contributed so much. His tragic death is a stark reminder of the callous disregard that some in the community have for human life. My deepest sympathy goes to his family and friends at this very difficult time.

There is nothing I can say which I would expect to console them in any way in their great loss. However, they are entitled to know that all the resources of the State will be used to bring the despicable cowards, the scum involved in this killing, to the justice which they deserve. This is not the time for political points scoring nor is it a time to pretend that there are instant off-the-shelf solutions which at a stroke can remove this type of evil completely from our midst. The fight against those involved in gangland crime is going to be long and must be waged relentlessly. I assure the House that this Government will continue to provide all the necessary resources, financial and legislative, to tackle the problem of gangland crime head on.

This morning, the Taoiseach and I met the Garda Commissioner to discuss general criminal justice issues and, in particular, the ongoing investigation into the brutal killing of Shane Geoghegan. We are determined that his murderers will be caught and put behind bars. The Commissioner briefed the Taoiseach and me on the latest developments in the intensive investigation under way in Limerick. He said that all investigative resources which are required to bring the investigation to a successful conclusion are available to the Garda Síochána. Subsequent to our meeting, the Commissioner travelled to Limerick to meet the regional assistant commissioner for the southern region, including Limerick, and the investigation team to discuss directly with them the progress of the investigation. The Commissioner confirmed that the Garda Síochána has at its disposal the laws and resources necessary for it to carry out its duties effectively in respect of this case and of the wider issue of criminal gangs in Limerick.

I assure Deputy Flanagan there is and has been 24-7 constant covert and overt surveillance in Limerick over recent years as part of Operation Anvil. We informed the Commissioner that any additional assistance needed, whether legislative or by way of resources, to deal with the Limerick criminal gangs will be provided. Deputies will accept that significant Garda resources have been put into Limerick and this has been acknowledged by the Opposition and by independent commentators. In the past year alone there has been a 12% increase in Garda numbers in Limerick, from 422 to 474, and a 43% increase since 2003.

There is a high level of surveillance in place. Divisional 24-hour armed patrols, supported by the emergency response unit and the regional support unit established in September, supplement regular Garda patrols. Patrols are augmented by the deployment of personnel from outside the division as required. There are 27 gardaí on mountain bikes in Limerick. There is no greater concentration of such gardaí except in Dublin and Cork. The Garda Síochána continues to undertake a range of investigations and operations to curb organised criminal activity in the general Limerick area, concentrating on depriving the criminals of the profits of their criminality. This includes activity by local detective units in conjunction with locally based divisional asset profilers and the Criminal Assets Bureau. Last May, the Garda Síochána carried out searches of a wide range of premises as part of Operation Platinum, following which the CAB has sought a number of court orders. I am happy to have secured a 20%, €1.5 million, increase in funding for the CAB for this year.

This level of activity is having results, although, sadly, there are setbacks. To date in 2008 there have been five murders in Limerick, and persons have been charged in respect of two of these. Two of these murders have been by firearms and a person has been charged in respect of one of these. In the State as a whole, there were 18 murders in 2007 involving a firearm, compared with 27 in 2006, a reduction of 33%.

The Garda Síochána will continue to receive a significant level of resources. Thus, while a ring-fenced allocation of €20 million was provided this year for Operation Anvil, in spite of difficult budgetary circumstances, €21 million is being provided in the 2009 Estimates to enable the operation to continue with targeted disruption of serious and organised criminal activity in Limerick and throughout the country. I made it an absolute condition of my Estimate for 2009, even though I have fewer resources, to ring-fence €21 million for Operation Anvil.

There will be a continued increase in the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána. Its attested strength will increase to almost 14,900 by the end of 2009 from its current attested strength of 14,267. This will mean an increase of more than 1,100, 8%, over this year and next year. There are 1,100 recruits in training, and 400 new recruits will be taken on in 2009. These numbers will increase significantly the policing hours available to in excess of 1 million. While there will be a planned reduction in the overtime budget from €108 million in 2008 to €80 million in 2009, this will be more than offset by the increase in numbers. Civilianisation is also making significant strides. In the past 21 months, the number of civilians employed by the Garda Síochána has increased by 59% to 2,038, including an increase of 20% in 2008 to date.

Just as important as the resources available to the Garda Síochána is the effectiveness of the legal powers available to the force and the treatment which criminals can expect from the criminal justice system. There have been some assertions and suggestions which do not stand up to scrutiny. I say this with due respect. For example, Deputy Flanagan calls for a mandatory minimum murder sentence of 25 years. Our law already provides for a mandatory life sentence for murder. Prisoners serving a life sentence already serve very long sentences. The average sentence for this group has almost doubled. It was an average of 15 years during the years 2006 and 2007, compared with the decade 1975 to 1984 where the average was only 7.7 years.

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