Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

An Garda Síochána continues to tackle proactively all forms of drug crime. I know from Deputy Ó Murchú's contribution that it is making a tremendous effort in Dundalk, but that needs to continue and to be supported. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau is having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs as well as organised crime groups. From the bureau's establishment in March 2015 until the end of June this year, it seized, for example, illicit drugs to a value of €182 million, cash believed to be the proceeds of crime to a value of €14 million and 122 firearms and over 5,000 rounds of ammunition. This work is supported by the divisional drugs units nationwide and, more generally, by all gardaí working in local communities.

With respect to Garda resources working with communities in Dundalk in particular, 184 gardaí were assigned to Dundalk as of the end of May 2020. This is an increase from 147 gardaí, or 25%, since the end of 2015. As the Deputy will be aware, however, a key principle arising from the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is that policing is not the responsibility of the police alone but also involves other agencies of government, such as health and social services, and other sectors of society. This principle is at the centre of a new policy on community safety which is being developed by the Department of Justice and Equality. The policy, which will be given a statutory basis in the new policing and community safety Bill, proposes to establish and support a system of community safety at local level across the country. Through cross-sectoral collaboration and by drawing on the available services, these systems will be best placed to identify support and implement community safety according to the needs of the local community.

We hear Deputy Ó Murchú's contribution and are very much aware of the serious issues at play. I assure him that, working with and supporting the Garda Síochána, and working within government, we will do all we can to try to ensure that this issue is addressed in every way possible.

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