Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I want to raise the important issue of the increase in crime in County Kerry. Crime rates in the county have increased at a significant rate in recent weeks. On the weekend of 25 February last, there were six home invasions in the Muckross, Loughguittane and Glenflesk areas of County Kerry. These crimes were committed by thieves who made their way on a back road to the N22 route between Killarney and Cork. Thousands of euro and significant amounts of jewellery were stolen. These thieves even robbed all-Ireland medals from a house. In another case, an elderly man in Ardfert was tied up for hours while a gang of thugs raided his house and took a substantial sum of money. I will give one more example. A sum of €7,000 was recently netted by thieves who robbed crèches and a residential home in the Tralee area. The Minister for Justice and Equality has been telling people that the crime rate in this country is going down. I assure the House that crime has never been as high in County Kerry as it is now. I have given a number of examples. Elderly people in County Kerry and other parts of rural Ireland are terrified in their homes because of the increase in crime.

People can talk about figures all they like. We hear a lot about Operation Thor, but I believe all it is doing is taking these thugs off this country's network of main roads and motorways and onto the back roads of places like County Kerry. Our gardaí are under tremendous pressure when it comes to crime. They are doing their level best with the resources they have, but they are up against it as they contend with sophisticated thieves, blackguards and cowardly thugs. As I have said, the crime rate is very high in County Kerry at the moment. A lot of crime is going unreported. This is contributing to the fall in the figures. People are just not reporting some crimes. I did a quick and simple survey one time. I rang seven people I knew who had crimes perpetrated against them to ask them whether they had reported those crimes. Just three of them had done so. Their attitude was that reporting crime makes no difference. When people find that oil has been taken from their tanks, or that their garages have been broken into and their tools, chainsaws or personal bits and pieces taken, in many cases they decide not to bother reporting it because they believe there is nothing to be gained from doing so. I believe all crime should be reported because that is the only way people will realise the seriousness of the situation.

This Government, like its predecessor, has failed to protect our citizens in rural Ireland from the thugs who are breaking into homes to take people's hard-earned money. We have all heard of cases in which lovely elderly people around the country have been tied up in their homes. Breaking into the home of an elderly person to frighten, intimidate and steal from him or her is probably the most outrageous act that any person could do. Elderly people should be respected, cared for and minded, but instead we have the scum of the earth going around. I hope it might go out from here that these thugs are bad, dirty and horrible cowards. That is all they are. They would not be man enough to face another man who would be able to take them on. I feel very strongly about those who beat up elderly people. The rank-and-file members of An Garda Síochána who are dealing with these thugs are doing their level best with the resources they have. I commend the gardaí up and down the length and breadth of Ireland on the work they are trying to do. We will take these cowards on. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, and his Government colleagues to provide more resources so that they can be taken on.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste who cannot be present for this debate, unfortunately. She asked me to speak on her behalf. I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this important issue in the Chamber this afternoon. I assure him An Garda Síochána carefully monitors the activities of criminal groups affecting all areas of the country, including County Kerry, and is implementing strong policing measures to disrupt and dismantle their networks. The Deputy will appreciate the Garda Commissioner and her management team are ultimately responsible for the deployment of Garda resources, including personnel, to specific areas. The Tánaiste is advised that Garda management constantly monitors the distribution of resources in the light of crime trends and overall policing needs. The matters raised by the Deputy this afternoon will be taken into account in that context in a very serious way.

Significant resources have been provided to the Garda authorities, including an overtime allocation of €88.5 million for 2017, to support large-scale policing operations, including Operation Thor. The scale of Garda activity against burglary and property crime under Operation Thor has led to concentrated Garda activity, including more than 52,000 crime prevention patrols and approximately 74,300 targeted checkpoints nationwide. There have been approximately 4,400 arrests and 4,900 charges covering a range of offences which, in addition to burglary, have included handling stolen property, possession of firearms and drugs offences. The results are there and can be measured. As the Deputy has said, Operation Thor has targeted mobile criminal gangs engaged in burglary and related crimes. It is encouraging to note that since the launch of the operation in November 2015, burglary figures have shown a significant downward trend. The CSO's official recorded crime statistics for the fourth quarter of 2016 show a decrease of 30% in burglary offences compared to the previous 12-month period. This reflects the success of the concerted Garda drive against crime being implemented under Operation Thor. CSO figures for the Kerry Garda division show that there were reductions of 54% in burglary, 20% in theft and 55% in robbery for the 12-month period of 2016, compared to the same period in 2015. This parallels the implementation of Operation Thor.

I agree strongly with the Deputy that people should be encouraged to report all crime. The Deputy is correct when he says it is important for all crime to be reported. Otherwise, we do not know where we are going. I applaud the Deputy for his comments in this regard. As part of the concerted strategy to combat burglary, the Tánaiste made it a priority to secure the enactment of specific legislation targeting prolific burglars in the Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Act 2015, which I know the Deputy has an interest in. These provisions are now available to gardaí to support prosecutions arising from Operation Thor. The reduction in the volume of burglaries as a result of Operation Thor will not be indicated in the overall detection rate for burglary. The Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014 was commenced a year ago. It introduced the DNA database, which provides gardaí with investigative links, or hits, between people and unsolved crimes, including burglaries. This powerful tool is now available to the Garda. It is anticipated that this will assist in improving detection rates for burglary over the coming years.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I do not want to get into a row about the statistics. My biggest problem with the statistics the Minister of State has given to the House is that when it comes to reported crimes, one is only as good as the information one is fed. The statistics seem to suggest that crime is decreasing, but my own little simple survey of seven people against whom crimes have been perpetrated found that those crimes were reported in just three cases. In such circumstances, how can we say that what the Minister of State has just told the House is 100% correct? I am not blaming anyone. It is nobody's fault. The amount of crime going unreported is distorting the figures. I have knowledge of the situation on the ground because I travel extensively throughout County Kerry. I feel that I know every back road and front road in the county. My own personal experience leads me to believe crime is actually increasing. That is why I want to raise this matter here today. I want to try to explain that. I am not fighting about it. I am not trying to blame anyone for it. I just want to highlight what I honestly consider to be a serious problem.

I wanted to get the message out that law-abiding people will not stand by and let these people think they can do what they like. People work terribly hard. Whether it is a bit of money or a few possessions, it is theirs. It did not fall into their laps. No one has the right to intimidate people.

I will give you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, one simple quick story that will put a smile on your face.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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It better be quick.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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My own house was robbed when I was away. I issued an invitation to the burglars to come back when I was there. They have not come back to me yet. These are the type of cowards with which one is dealing. They will strike when there is no one at home or if there are only vulnerable or elderly people in the house. They will not come at all if they think they will meet their match. It is an important issue of which we all need to be conscious. We need to support An Garda Síochána in the work it is doing to eliminate these people.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I again thank the Deputy for raising this important matter and I will be sure to pass on his comments to the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for her consideration. We are all concerned about the kind of activity the Deputy has brought to our attention. It is very disconcerting for older people who find themselves in those situations.

The Deputy described it as opportunistic crime. I am sure he is encouraging people to report all crime. It is important to report all crime, no matter how small, because we then get a picture of what is going on and the Garda gets a picture of what is going on so they can apprehend people.

We must all remain vigilant in the fight against all forms of criminality in our communities. The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and the Garda Commissioner remain in ongoing contact on the deployment of Garda resources in line with new and emerging crime trends. The criminals are learning to change too, as we know. Operation Thor has proved to be successful to date. The Government remains committed to ensuring the Garda has the necessary resources to tackle crime, not only in County Kerry but in all our communities. Underpinning all these measures is the Government's commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence across the country to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. The Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021, comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Garda Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.

I thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to our attention. We must always remain vigilant and ensure crime is reported, as well as informing people what they can do to protect their property to deter opportunistic criminals. As the Deputy said, burglars gained entry to his premises when there was no one at home. We must do everything to prevent that and to get people to report crime. The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality is taking this matter seriously and the Deputy’s comments will be noted.