James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the invitation to inform the House of the legislative and policy developments to tackle gangland crime and alleviate the impacts such crime is having on our communities. I acknowledge An Garda Síochána which is doing extremely effective work in cracking down on gangland crime in its relentless bid to tackle these gangs at the top of the criminal world in Ireland and abroad. I very much want to acknowledge the bravery and hard work of gardaí. From our perspective, we will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to tackle gangland and organised crime.

Gangland and organised crime is transnational in nature and can have grave effects on societies, states and communities. It is well documented that organised crime is becoming increasingly profitable, professional and multi-jurisdictional. Recent measures taken to tackle organised crime include the establishment of a second Special Criminal Court in 2016 and the establishment of Garda armed response units in all Garda regions supporting all divisions countrywide.

We must continue to strengthen our resolve by introducing further legislation and developing specific strategies.

The Minister, Deputy Harris, referred to forthcoming legislation and actions in Justice Plan 2023 relating to organised crime. As Minister of State for law reform, I can assure the House that, in the coming year, we will keep our national security legislation under review, strengthen measures to tackle terrorism through domestic action and international co-operation, draft legislation to strengthen our laws around cybercrime, and progress legislation to deal with the retention of data for criminal enforcement purposes.

An important Bill I very much welcome progressing is the Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023, which is designed to fulfil programme for Government commitments to "legislate against the coercion and use of minors in the sale and supply of drugs" and to "criminalise adults who groom children to commit crimes." In addition to the new legislation, pilot applications of the Greentown programme commenced in 2020, based on my Department's report Lifting the Lid on Greentown, produced in partnership with the University of Limerick. The programme is currently being operated in two locations and is having a positive impact in helping children and their families to break away from the coercion of criminal gangs who are exploiting them.

Crime does not pay but young people are being exploited. We want to ensure they are prevented from getting involved in crime and that if they do, they are identified and supported in breaking away from it and from gangs. We want to ensure that the groomers are targeted and that their ill-gotten gains are taken from them so as to protect the young people. It is also to protect the communities and make them safer.

Criminal gangs can also be involved in crimes that may also be referred to as antisocial behaviour. The impact of antisocial behaviour is well recognised and is highlighted in the ongoing work of the expert forum on antisocial behaviour, which I am pleased to chair. The forum is examining a broad range of issues, with a focus on developing measures that will address the factors that give rise to antisocial behaviour and its impact on community morale and quality of life.

I have convened three subgroups to consider the specific issues of knife crime, the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes, and the responses to the impact of antisocial behaviour on housing complexes managed by approved housing bodies. Specific strategies have been developed in the Department to improve community safety. The rural safety plan, for example, is the result of strong collaboration between all the relevant organisations and brings together the excellent work already under way on rural safety. The vision of the plan is to ensure people and communities in rural Ireland will feel and be safe in their homes, places of work and local environments.

The objectives in the Youth Justice Strategy 2021–2027 are premised on the need to maximise opportunities to promote positive behavioural change. The strategy includes a wide range of issues relevant to children and young people at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system. I am glad significant additional funding has been devoted to the youth justice strategy in the past two years.

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