Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First of all, what I said yesterday was that this was a murderous feud between two rival families. We have had experience of this in the past. Pleas to the McCarthy-Dundons, the General and the Gilligan gang did not do anything until intelligence, personnel and investment in resources and capacity were able to take these people off the streets and put them behind bars, and the same applies here now. At least in those cases, in different years, the criminal gangs were based here in Ireland. There is now a strong international connection, with hits being ordered from abroad. This is as much about sending signals internationally about the so-called status of criminal gangs as it is about power and money and misery here. The sending of people to carry out or to attempt killings for what are in some cases very small sums are really signals from those who live with the trappings and shallowness of wealth abroad and do their dirty business from abroad. I say very clearly to Deputy Martin and everyone else in this House that the Government will not back down in the face of this. We have had experience in different counties over the years, and it takes a long time to deal with these things.

In respect of local resources, the Minister met with all the communities, as did Deputy Martin, quite recently. I intend to meet the leadership of the communities and all the public representatives myself when it is appropriate. However, as of 31 March, 598 gardaí are assigned to the Dublin Metropolitan Region - North Central, of which 251 were assigned to Store Street and 186 to Mountjoy, while 33 newly attested gardaí have been assigned to the north Dublin region also.

As Deputy Martin knows, Operation Hybrid has been put in place to manage the recent increase in violence and these murderous activities by gangs. More than a thousand lines of inquiry are being pursued, a significant number of statements and exhibits have been gathered and widespread searches have been carried out. Arms are being seized, people are being brought before the courts and cases prepared, and the courts will do their duty. As I said yesterday, more than a thousand extensive armed checkpoints have taken place since February, which is more than 80 a week, and no more than 500 patrols and 400 searches have been conducted under this operation across the Dublin region. Those checkpoints and patrols are significantly supported by armed support groups such as the emergency response unit and the regional support units.

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