Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is no reason to believe crime is reported less or more now than it was in the past. This island endured 30 years of violence perpetrated by subversive groups, in addition to gangland criminals.

On the resources issue, I am assured by the Commissioner that the Garda Síochána is devoting all the necessary resources to the investigation and disruption of serious crime. It is wrong to characterise this in any way as a budgetary issue. There have been serious gun and gang crimes for several years in the State, including a higher number of gangland murders when the number of gardaí was higher than it is now. The Deputy will be aware that there are a number of gangs in our midst that will stop at nothing. This demands a determined and targeted response from the Garda and that is what the force is engaged in. I agree with the Deputy that there are individuals engaged in gangland crime for whom life is cheap, who have no moral compass and who are completely and utterly lacking in insight as to the devastation they cause. There are gangs at war with one another. The Garda is targeting these gangs and it has been enormously successful in bringing before the courts individuals engaged in murders on the streets. I condemn totally the barbaric incident to which the Deputy referred and which resulted in the body parts of an individual known to have a criminal background being found in recent days. There is no excuse or explanation of any kind for such conduct. It is of the greatest importance to the Garda that it have the support of all the community in its work.

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