Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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It is important that this House should have the opportunity to discuss the facts and consequences of last Friday's tiger kidnapping and bank heist, which resulted in the most substantial theft of cash in the history of the State. It is clear from the reports on this robbery that criminal gangs have the resources and manpower to mount the type of surveillance operation the Garda no longer can carry out due to the financial constraints and cuts imposed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

The Garda is reported to be concerned at the volume and high grade of intelligence gathered on this occasion by the gang regarding the living arrangements of Mr. Travers and his colleagues and their role in Bank of Ireland. At the same time, the Garda is reported to be furious that surveillance on the chief suspects in this raid had to be withdrawn due to a lack of funding. Soon after the surveillance ceased, the raid took place and the surveillance was then reinstated, resulting in the arrest of some suspects and the recovery of a small amount of money. In early December 2008, gardaí foiled two major attempted heists in counties Clare and Dublin, one involving a planned tiger kidnapping, thanks to a surveillance operation.

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is present in the House and I ask him whether he is satisfied that the Garda has the capacity to carry out surveillance on criminal gangs it suspects of being likely to carry out future raids and that effective Garda surveillance is the key to preventing such future raids. The ease with which this operation was carried out is disturbing. It will act as encouragement for others to follow suit. Members have been told the State's financial institutions are now looking at security procedures. At a hastily convened press conference after the event, the Minister stated this is happening. What has held them back thus far? How many tiger kidnappings have taken place in this State in the past 12 months? What is the Minister doing about the fact that Dublin is now the tiger kidnapping capital of the world? If he has the answer, he clearly is not engaged with the issue but is showing that his meeting with senior gardaí after the big heist is nothing but a charade. If the Minister knows the answer, and I seek the figure from him this evening, why has he taken no action until now? How often have representatives of the Garda Síochána or senior officials from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform met senior bankers in the past year in respect of security arrangements and similar matters? What contingency plans have been in place to deal with tiger kidnapping?

When this State was under threat and attack from terrorist organisations and the Provisional IRA in the 1970s and 1980s, it always held firm and did not buckle under pressure. What action is the Minister now taking, or does he propose to take, to disabuse criminal gangsters of the notion that tiger kidnapping is an easy way to obtain millions, such as the €7.8 million handed over by Bank of Ireland last weekend? The State and other financial institutions did not give in to terrorists in the past and it is essential they do not do so now. The Minister is not encouraging and I ask him to take appropriate action on this matter.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that Deputy Flanagan must make noise and look busy in the aftermath of this incident.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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This is not noise. This was the biggest armed robbery in the history of the State and the Minister held a press conference after the event.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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However, I am more than happy to reply to this Adjournment debate and to give the Deputy the figures he requested. Last year, there were six so-called tiger kidnappings, six in the previous year and nine in the year before that.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The world capital.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Consequently, the Government's record is of a reduction in such activities.

First, I wish to extend my sympathy to the victims caught up in this crime. I am sure I speak for all sides of the House when I express my hope that they will soon recover from this awful trauma. Members will also appreciate that it is incumbent upon me to remind the House that the robbery last Friday is the subject of an intensive and ongoing investigation. A number of individuals have appeared in court charged in connection with it and I suggest that all Members should be careful to avoid saying anything that could be prejudicial to the case.

There are agreed response procedures between the Garda Síochána and the banks and financial institutions to deal with hostage situations in which members of staff or their families are taken hostage to facilitate robberies. These response procedures are detailed and all-encompassing. It is clear that some of the aforementioned security protocols were not followed in this incident. A number of questions arise regarding the apparent ease with which such a large amount of money was accessed. I accept that everyone is worried about how easily this money was taken from this bank.

Shortly after the incident, I had a conversation with the chief executive of the bank involved. I also met the Garda Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner of operations in the immediate aftermath of the robbery. Following our consultations, it was agreed that senior gardaí should immediately meet the heads of security of a number of financial institutions to consider the implications of last Friday's robbery. That meeting took place yesterday and the institutions have undertaken to carry out a fundamental review of their procedures and to report back, while working with the Garda in this respect. Further meetings are envisaged.

It is no surprise that in the wake of ongoing improvements to the physical security of banks and to the cash in transit industry — Deputy Flanagan must admit the cash in transit issue has been taken care of reasonably successfully in recent years — these thugs have shifted their focus to the human vulnerability within the system. In general, the Garda Síochána will continue to combat such so-called tiger raids as part of the concerted efforts being made to tackle organised criminal gangs and the continuing measures being taken as part of Operation Anvil. In recent years we have introduced tough new measures, including seven-day detention periods, that have been used in the recent past highly successfully by the Garda Síochána with the consent of the courts, for those suspected of various serious crimes, including kidnappings and mandatory sentences in respect of firearms offences.

The Garda is continuing to make every effort to defeat the crime gangs responsible and I reiterate that I will not be found wanting in ensuring that it has the necessary support, both from a resources and legislative perspective, to so do. For example, I emphasise and have indicated in the House many times, the budget for Operation Anvil has been increased and ring-fenced from €20 million last year to €21 million this year. This is in spite of an overall reduction in my Department's Estimate.

In response to the claims made by the Deputy, while it would be completely counter-productive for me to comment on any detail of the surveillance activities of the Garda, I can confirm to him that the Garda Commissioner, at a follow-up meeting in this House today, assured me there is absolutely no basis for any suggestion that the resources devoted to the targeting and surveillance of such gangs have been reduced or withdrawn. Such claims are as baseless as they are irresponsible.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The surveillance was taken off the gangs.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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That is a fact.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Minister knows it and it is in his report. The Garda has stated he removed that surveillance.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is not correct in this regard. The Government is devoting enormous resources to the fight against crime. I have made it clear that it has absolute priority in the allocation of resources within my Department. That will remain the case, even though I am criticised by Deputies opposite for the consequences of that approach.

The Government has also approved my proposals to introduce new legislation underpinning the use of covert surveillance methods by the Garda. Under the legislation, the State will be able to use collateral material obtained by means of covert surveillance as evidence to support or strengthen the case for the prosecution at a criminal trial. This legislation will be introduced to the Dáil shortly and should be of considerable assistance in achieving successful prosecutions of gang members.

John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister's time has elapsed.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps I will be allowed to continue, with the consent of the House.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Yes.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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However, Members should not forget that the banks and other institutions have their part to play in this regard. If tried and trusted protocols are put in place to defeat criminal attempts to rob cash, it is imperative that these are followed to the letter. That is the important lesson from last Friday. I echo the words of the chief executive officer of Bank of Ireland that the objective of the protocols is to provide for the "safety and well-being of all staff". I have stated repeatedly that my primary priority is to focus on the fight against crime. That remains the case. By the end of this year, there will be just short of 15,000 gardaí on the streets, the same number which Deputy Flanagan's party pledged to have in place by the end of 2012, a full three years later.

Regarding the events of last Friday, I do not underestimate the difficulties involved in trying to deal with incidents where people are taken hostage. For those involved, their instinct is understandably to protect their loved ones. However, this only makes it more important that financial institutions follow the robust protocols and procedures in place to ensure employees are, to the greatest possible extent, not placed in such a position in the first place.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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There was nothing robust about the procedures last Friday.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The protocols are there, first and foremost, to protect employees. It is only by rendering these so-called tiger kidnappings unsuccessful that we will stop them happening, thereby protecting innocent employees in future.