Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 9: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which the necessary personnel, general resources, communications, mobile equipment, intelligence and forensic facilities are available to the Garda Síochána to tackle the ongoing activities of criminal gangs; the extent to which the activity of such gangs can be monitored at present with a view to taking steps to decommission them; if he has considered any further initiatives that he may take to deal with this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16745/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Tackling serious and organised crime, and bringing those involved to justice, is a key priority for the Government. Implementation of specific operational measures to deal with criminal gangs and their criminal activities is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. In this context, the Commissioner has stressed, on many occasions, that the necessary resources have been made available and will continue to be made available.

All the members of this House will be under no illusions when it comes to the threat that organised crime poses to our society. The criminals involved have shown themselves to be completely ruthless and they have used serious violence and other tactics to protect their interests. Accordingly, the Garda Commissioner has put special measures in place to combat criminal gangs. These measures include the deployment of significant resources with a number of operational approaches to tackling serious organised crime, including a multi-agency approach and the use of intelligence-targeted operations. The lead role is being undertaken by the Garda organised crime unit which targets organised criminal gangs. The unit works in conjunction with other Garda national units such as the emergency response unit, the bureau of fraud investigation and the Criminal Assets Bureau. All of these units cooperate very closely and they have had many successes in combating organised gangs and depriving them of their financial resources.

It is also the case that there is a substantial international dimension to serious organised crime. This is an area where the Garda is also very active and it has built up extensive communications networks with police forces in other countries which enables it to exchange intelligence and to cooperate at operational level.

In the circumstances the Deputy will appreciate the extent of the measures that have been put in place to combat criminal gangs. As the Commissioner has indicated the pressure on these gangs will be maintained and they will continue to be a major focus of Garda operations.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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The Minister says he is giving adequate resources but the resources are not evenly distributed. Last weekend there was a major drugs haul in Celbridge, with another the week before in Kill and there have been two tiger raids this year in Kildare. The gardaí in Kildare tell us they have the lowest resource level per head of population in the State. They say huge resources are needed to deal with these criminals in a reactive way after they have been caught and they have only caught a small number of them. Is the Minister satisfied the distribution of Garda manpower by the Garda Commissioner adequately deals with organised crime? It does not function in one part of the country.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In recent weeks the Garda has had substantial success in recovering drugs and arresting individuals engaged in drug related activities. It is a matter for the Garda Commissioner to determine issues of operation and how to best focus An Garda Síochána to tackle organised crime. I have had discussions with the Garda Commissioner on these areas and I have the utmost confidence in his judgment and capacity to determine how to best focus the Garda to tackle those engaged in organised crime. It remains a continuing concern to everyone that we have drugs gangs engaged in what could best be described as open urban warfare. In some parts of Dublin they fight over patches they wish to dominate for their illegal activities. This is a matter of concern to the Garda Commissioner. There are too many young men engaged in drug activities who have no respect for human life or human rights and show no concern for the communities on which they prey. The Garda take this issue with great seriousness and have engaged on occasions in very serious policing and detective work in very difficult circumstances. I have the greatest confidence in its ability.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the points made by the Minister and the success in recent years of Garda activities against organised criminals. Crime of this kind has been going on for a long time and it would appear that in the past ten years there has been an inexorable development in the power, strength and influence of criminal gangs. Does the Minister believe that sufficient modern and adequate resources are available to gardaí so that they can interrupt and intercept the activities of the people who are now so devoted to criminal activity, from which they make such considerable profit, as is recognised nationally and internationally? Have the authorities been frustrated by the power and influence of the criminal gangs in such a way as to make it easier for them to operate and more difficult for the authorities to combat their activity?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Minister has 20 seconds to respond.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I have the greatest confidence in the Garda. It has available the resources it requires. I am taking an initiative at a European level with my European colleagues to try to put in place arrangements whereby we can ensure that ultimately there are equivalents of our Criminal Assets Bureau in every EU country, and a framework in place whereby those engaged in serious crime in this State who invest the proceeds of crime in other parts of Europe will know that whatever property or proceeds of crime they retain in other countries in Europe can ultimately be attacked and obtained by the Criminal Assets Bureau. This is a very important initiative at European level. It will take some time to develop this to fruition but it is an important additional weapon that should be in the armoury for tackling organised crime, which does not recognise boundaries and has an international dimension.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I imagine the Ceann Comhairle will tell me if I am out of time on the next question.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Have we an extra hour?