Michael Conaghan (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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The past number of weeks have seen an escalation of gang violence in the streets of Dublin and elsewhere in Ireland. This poses a number of challenges to the State and our communities. I am glad to have the opportunity to raise these challenges with the Minister and to ask him to ensure that adequate steps are taken to address them.

The spectre of gang violence on our streets poses a threat to the safety of the public and to people's lives. Moreover, it poses a threat to the rule of law. It is a direct challenge to the authority of the State, a challenge that must be faced down immediately. This goes to the core of the State's credibility. When this type of violence is allowed to occur, it poses a question as to who controls our streets. Is it not the State that decides who has the authority to use guns on the streets, an authority that is vested in a very select few people who are well trained and committed to guarding the peace? This authority must be upheld.

The State also lays down assumptions about how civil society should work. People should be able to live their lives free of fear, intimidation, the threat of guns and the illegitimate taking of life. They should have the freedom to raise a family in peace and safety. These are values that the State nominally places at a very high level, but they are being eroded and undermined. The challenge that the criminal use of guns poses, and the by-product of this at community level in engendering fear, undermining public safety and undermining the rule of law, weakens the legitimate expectations and aspirations of citizens in a modern state.

The spectre of brutal violence on our streets also poses a major challenge to our communities. A sense of community pride and neighbourhood, and a feeling of safety within a community, should be a given. However, when violence is brought onto people's doorsteps, it has the potential to seriously undermine the community. The disposition of 99% of people in any community is to contribute, to enjoy their homes and their area. A community is the product of the voluntary efforts of the people in an area. A community has the right to define itself by what it achieves through its collective efforts, rather than being unfairly branded by the acts of individual gunmen. Cherry Orchard, for example, is now a vibrant area which has fought hard to overcome a difficult start, to secure services and to build a community. It is now home to a leading football club, employment projects, a men's club, crèches, a brilliant new school and a children's orchestra that has famously represented the city in concert halls abroad and on RTE. This is a community that has grown together; it is a good news story. However, the single image on last Friday's news of a man gunned down on his doorstep can undermine that and undo decades of community building.

The recent escalation of gun violence associated with organised crime poses twin challenges to the authority of the State and to the rights of our communities, and the families and individuals within them. It places us precariously at the top of a slippery slope. Are we going to recognise that we have stepped onto this very slippery slope? Do we recognise the danger of the spectre which lies at the bottom of this slope? Are we prepared to take action to stop the slide?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue which is clearly a source of great concern to him, all Members of this House, the Government and particularly to me. I share the widespread outrage at the type of criminality to which the Deputy refers and I fully appreciate the concerns of communities, including the Cherry Orchard community, who find this violence taking place on their local streets.

We have all been shocked by the callous murders and other serious crimes which have been carried out recently. The brutal nature of these crimes is a stark reminder of the mentality of those involved in organised criminality and the danger which they pose to our society. I am in ongoing regular contact with the Garda Commissioner about all aspects of serious crime. The Garda will continue to bear down heavily on the activities of those involved in gangland crime, uphold the rule of law and ensure the authority of the State is respected. That is clear from the extent of the Garda operations launched against gangs as well as the many drug seizures that have taken place in recent months and weeks.

I should also mention the most recent recorded crime statistics, which were released last week and which show that most categories of crime are decreasing in number. That reflects well on the work of An Garda Síochána at all levels. The figures showed that in the 12 month period to the end of June the incidence of murder had decreased by 8% and assault offences were down by 9.7%. Of course, we have experienced a particularly bad week with a series of murders in different parts of the country, some of which are known to be gangland murders.

We should not underestimate the difficulties the Garda faces in trying to prevent gangland killings and related crimes and in bringing the perpetrators to justice. These crimes are carefully planned and are carried out by people who are very familiar with criminal and forensic investigation techniques. Moreover, even where members of gangs are clearly at risk, not only will they generally not co-operate with the Garda but they will do everything they can to avoid Garda attention.

Some have characterised the issues in this area as budgetary matters. There are no budgetary issues that in any way inhibit the Garda addressing the issue of gangland crime or the horrific and barbaric atrocities that have taken place, visiting death on a number of individuals. There has been gangland violence for some time in Ireland, and the number of murders was a good deal higher when Garda numbers were higher than they are today. It is also unrealistic to expect that the Garda Commissioner can devote his entire resources to individually protecting people who are routinely trying to avoid the Garda so they can continue to engage in criminality. Such an approach could only come at the expense of ordinary Garda activity to protect the community generally.

Ultimately, the only effective way to combat organised crime is by disrupting and prosecuting those involved in its operations, and especially the drugs trade which is at the heart of much of its profits. Substantial efforts by An Garda Síochána and Customs and Excise are therefore devoted to damaging this lucrative business. Only last week gardaí seized a major cache of drugs in Dublin, valued at €1.5 million, and a number of persons are charged before the courts as a result.

I also share the general concern about the incidence of attacks and attempted attacks using pipe bombs, which has become more frequent. I am particularly familiar with this because as Minister for Justice and Equality I am familiar with the Garda involvement and as Minister for Defence I am aware of the involvement of the specialist group within the Defence Forces which is too regularly called out to neutralise improvised explosive devices of some description or other. There are substantial Garda operations in place to tackle this problem, with strategies firmly focused on disrupting the use of pipe bombs and bringing those involved before the courts. Indeed, Deputies will be aware of the significant Garda action taking place in Dublin city today in this regard. Furthermore, there are substantial penalties available to the courts following conviction for explosives-related offences, including a penalty of life imprisonment for causing an explosion likely to endanger life.

As Minister, I will continue, with the full support of the Government, to do everything in my power to assist the Garda in its work. There is already very strong anti-gangland legislation in place and I have made it clear to the Garda Commissioner that if he feels there are other measures which might be taken in this area, I will examine them positively. However, the issue the Deputy raises is not something that can be resolved by simple legislative solutions. If that were the case, an ideal legislative measure would have been enacted a long time ago.

Despite the difficulties gardaí encounter, the Garda has been able to bring people before the courts, particularly in respect of a number of high profile killings in the past couple of years, even though it will be some time before those cases are concluded. Arrests have been made in respect of a number of the recent killings. The Garda Commissioner has my full support in continuing to confront this type of criminality and in bringing those involved to justice. I take this opportunity to congratulate him and all the members of An Garda Síochána on their successes in tackling serious crime in all forms.

As far as I am concerned, we are not on a slippery slope.

The rule of law in the State will be upheld and we will surrender no part of this country to any criminal gang of any description, nor will we do so to the criminal gang made up by the so-called Real IRA.

Michael Conaghan (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for his response. The escalation of gangland crime has the potential to undermine the authority of the State, to throw communities in Dublin into disarray and to undermine the excellent community-building work that is done in places like Cherry Orchard and elsewhere. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Shatter's recent commitment to "resolutely support the gardaí in every way we can in counteracting this evil menace in our society". This will require resources and it may also require legislation. The Minister has asked his officials to review the Criminal Justice (Amendment) 2009 with a view to strengthening it. Could the Minister let us know when we can expect to see the outcome of this review, and what new measures he proposes to introduce?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I would expect the review to be complete by the end of the year. As the Deputy said on the issue, it is important we take account of the fact the Garda has been successful in bringing to justice a number of people who have been brought before our courts and found guilty of the most heinous offences. The Garda is vigorously investigating the recent offences that resulted in the deaths of a number of people. I must be careful in what I say that I do not prejudice any prosecution that may take place but there have already been arrests made and further arrests are anticipated. The Garda is doing everything it can to prevent gangs from continuing with their activities and we have some so-called former prominent criminals in the prison system.

Unfortunately, however, when individuals are committed to crime and have no respect for human life, when they seek substantial monetary gain for themselves by the importation or sale of drugs and when they compete with other gangs, the sad reality is that it leads to violence. The Garda is doing all it can to disrupt gangland activity.

It is a great pity that many of those engaging in thuggery and barbarism, with no respect for the people who live in their local communities, do not take cognisance of the fact that the history of drug gangs in this State and elsewhere is that whatever brief feelings of power they have and for whatever brief period they gain wealth from their activities, most of these individuals have brief lives of violence that end violently. I am sure they do no listen to what we say here but it is time they considered the impact on their families and communities as a result of their conduct.

As Minister for Justice and Law Reform, I want to re-emphasise that we are not on a slippery slope. We have a superbly professional police force in the Garda Síochána led by an extraordinarily good Commissioner and under him very talented Assistant Commissioners. Substantial work is being done by the specialist units within the Garda Síochána to target the gangs engaged in criminality, to investigate events that have taken place and to prevent crime. I have full confidence in the Garda, as does the general community.