Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ar son an Aire Dlí agus Cirt, an Teachta Simon Harris, gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Snodaigh as seoladh an rud seo isteach chuig an Aire inniu. At the outset, let me say that the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Government are very conscious of the distressing impact this criminal activity is having on the residents and community around the Oliver Bond complex, which the Deputy just described. Everybody has the right to feel and be safe in their homes and communities.

The Government is acutely aware of the substantial and ongoing damage that drug dealing has on communities across the country. Organised criminal activity, including drug dealing, represents a serious threat to community safety.

The Minister is assured by the Garda authorities that the Oliver Bond flat complex receives a high concentration of Garda policing on a continual basis from Kevin St. Garda station, as well as several additional policing units within the Dublin metropolitan region south central division. The Minister is further advised that there are designated beats assigned to the Oliver Bond complex, which has ensured further high visibility policing in the area.

There were in excess of 321 proactive patrols recorded for the Oliver Bond complex in 2022. This figure does not include additional special operations that were carried out. The policing response ranges from large-scale saturation policing operations involving many different units to smaller-scale operations and daily patrolling.

Most recently, I understand that in the last quarter of 2022, a number of concentrated policing operations took place in the Oliver Bond complex. The operations were a collaborative approach between the Dublin metropolitan region south central division's drugs unit, the drug task force, community response team, community policing and regular units.

In addition, An Garda Síochána has advised that a large number of seizures of both drugs and cash have been recorded in recent weeks, which has aided in reducing the open sale and supply of controlled drugs and anti-social behaviour within the Oliver Bond complex. More than one quarter of all drug seizures in the Kevin St. subdistrict during 2022 were from the Oliver Bond complex.

This has been achieved through the targeting of repeat offenders and the use of CCTV within the complex. Alleged offenders have been pursued on foot by gardaí and safe houses have been identified for follow-up search operations.

The Minister is further advised by the Garda authorities that these actions, in conjunction with the application of bail conditions to stay out of the Oliver Bond complex and follow-up applications to Dublin

City Council for the issuing of tenancy warnings, have made a significant impact on crime in the area.

The superintendent at Kevin St. station has held a number of meetings with representatives from local groups in the community regarding the Oliver Bond complex rejuvenation. I am informed that a very productive meeting with representatives from local groups took place most recently on 13 January at Kevin St. Garda station, with gratitude expressed for the responses and operations carried out by gardaí at Kevin St..

Finally, the Deputy will be reassured to know that Kevin St. Garda station continues to work with ongoing overt policing operations, designated beats and intelligence gathering processes within the Oliver Bond complex.

Additional gardaí will shortly be allocated to the community policing unit in Kevin St. Garda station and the number of personnel attached to the drugs unit and the crime task force unit will also increase. There is already a community Garda member assigned responsibility for the Oliver Bond complex. An Garda Síochána has advised that there is regular engagement with residents on initiatives and programmes relating to the complex. Additionally, new members have also been recently assigned to the community response team and the warrants unit, with a focus on Oliver Bond complex.

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