Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

notes with grave concern:

- the fact that five gangland gun murders have taken place in the first three weeks of 2010;

- the fact that criminal gangs are gaining a greater foothold in communities throughout the State;

- the drug abuse afflicting communities throughout the State;

- the involvement of criminal gangs in people trafficking and prostitution;

- the fact that a large number of vacancies have emerged in the senior ranks of the Garda Síochána but replacements are not being appointed;

- the fact that community gardaí make up only 6% of the force;

- the pathetically low conviction rate for gangland gun murders;

- the absence of any convictions to date under anti-gangland legislation introduced in 2009;

- that in situations where gangsters are incarcerated they continue to direct their operations from within our prisons through use of mobile phones;

- the wholly inadequate measures in place at ports, airports and along the coastline to prevent massive quantities of illegal drugs from flowing into the jurisdiction; and

- the consequent fear and anxiety of communities where gangland violence is commonplace and the havoc that drugs are wreaking on our communities;

calls on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to:

- immediately fill senior Garda vacancies;

- introduce a mandatory minimum life sentence of 25 years for gangland gun murders;

- introduce measures in prisons such as full body scanners for visitors to prevent gangsters from operating from within prisons;

- increase community policing by implementing Fine Gael's policies on quotas and incentives; and

calls on the Minister for Finance to significantly enhance the Customs and Excise presence at ports and airports, and in particular at small and private airports.

I wish to share time with Deputies O'Donnell, Doyle, Tom Hayes, Clune and Bannon.

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