Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Some 11 days ago, a 27 year old man was brutally murdered when he was lured to a place close to Cloverhill Prison. He was murdered because of his name and as part of an ongoing feud that has, for the last number of years, dominated certain parts of this city. Six days ago, there was another example of this feud and its damaging influence when gunshots were fired outside of the National Stadium on South Circular Road. Two men were injured. It was thought that one of the targets was a 40 year-old man. The Garda stated that this is part of the ongoing feud, the Kinahan-Hutch dispute that has now been going on for two and a half years. Then, two days ago, we saw another brutal murder. A man was brutally murdered on the North Strand simply because of his association, it appears, with the Hutch family. He too was only 27 years of age.

These murders are brutal and cowardly for very many reasons. First, they are brutal and cowardly because, as happened with the man who was murdered 11 days ago, people are lured to places against their will. They are brutal and cowardly because people attack victims from behind as they are getting into a car and shoot them in the head. They are brutal and cowardly because individuals are targeted because of their name, or because of their friendship with a particular family. Most of all, they are brutal and cowardly because of the damaging and traumatic influence and impact the violence is having on the community in the north inner city, a very proud community that wishes, like any other, to ensure that its children are brought up in a safe and peaceful environment.

Unfortunately, that has not happened. Over the last two and a half years or so, approximately 15 people have been murdered as a result of this feud. It is simply unacceptable and we, as legislators and as politicians in this House, have to re-emphasise consistently that it is unacceptable. I know there is no one, easy solution to this problem. I know it is ongoing criminal activity that can only be resolved through investment in local communities, resources on the ground and responses by the Legislature to issues that must be raised. They are the responsibility of different groups throughout society. However, one of the entities - in fact, the entity - that has the most power to effect that change and fight this criminal activity is the Government. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan, is the Minister in this Government responsible for ensuring that the people of this city, the people of the north inner city, in particular, are kept safe.

I want to know what the Minister for Justice and Equality is going to do about of this. Something has to be done about it. I want to know if, since he has the power, the Minister proposes to bring forward changes to the law. I was particularly concerned when it was reported recently that the armed response unit and the special detective unit may have been subject to cutbacks. We need to ensure that the Garda presence in the north inner city, which has been very effective over the last two years or so, is maintained. We cannot just take our foot off the pedal in the hope that this problem will go away. It has not gone away. It is still there.

Of course, the Minister is the central authority in the State for matters pertaining to extradition. I know it is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána, but why is it, if individuals are masterminding these criminal acts from outside the State, that no steps are being taken to bring them to justice within this State.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I wish to thank Deputy O'Callaghan for raising this issue of great seriousness in Dáil Éireann. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I will be addressing this issue from a criminal justice perspective, but of course it is important to note that the Government's focus on removing organised criminals' grip on areas is not confined to a criminal justice approach. A multiplicity of supports are involved across a range of Government Departments and agencies.

The fatal shooting that took place earlier this week in Dublin's North Strand is currently under active investigation by An Garda Síochána. The House will appreciate that the manner in which particular investigations are conducted is solely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team. I have no role in such investigations. The shooting occurred within days of the brutal killing of Derek Hutch near Cloverhill Prison and the non-fatal shootings which took place outside the National Stadium on the South Circular Road on 26 January this year. I wish to assure the House that An Garda Síochána is also conducting a comprehensive investigation into both of these incidents. I wish it well with its endeavours and inquiries, and I join the gardaí in calling for anybody with any information to report that potential evidence to An Garda Síochána.

I want to be clear. This type of criminal behaviour has no place in a civilised society. It will not be tolerated by An Garda Síochána and this Government. An Garda Síochána has faced down this type of threat in the past and will do so again. I note that there has been some commentary this week to the effect that the State provides fewer resources to the policing of organised crime north of the River Liffey, or that little is done to stop gangland figures from killing each other. Such assertions are ill-informed and without foundation. In the first instance, the Garda has, in fact, prevented a huge amount of violence and crime in recent times. Successes of this kind go under the radar and are not reported on the news on a daily basis.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the Garda, supported by significant resources allocated to it by this Government, has made important progress in tackling the insidious threat of organised crime, particularly in the north Dublin inner city area. Operation Hybrid has been established to co-ordinate the response to violent crime in Dublin and address public concerns about community safety. It benefits from significant support by armed support units. As of 21 January, this response has resulted in 72 arrests, 13 charges in total, 34 firearms seized, 260 searches, 15,260 lines of inquiry conducted and more than 50,450 high-visibility checkpoints implemented with active support from the armed support units. A significant about of CCTV footage, mobile phone traffic and forensic evidence has also been examined.

In addition, the conviction earlier this week in the Special Criminal Court of Eamonn Cumberton for the murder of Michael Barr in the Sunset House pub in April 2016, and the convictions of two other men apprehended in possession of a large number of firearms, were feud-related. They came about as a result of concentrated efforts by An Garda Síochána to tackle the perpetrators involved in this ongoing feud. We have also seen reports of a series of very significant drug seizures by An Garda Síochána, as well as important seizures of significant banking information used to fuel the activities of organised criminals. These seizures have significantly hampered the ability of these gangs to operate.

An Garda Síochána will not allow these criminals to prevail. It will ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes will be apprehended and brought to justice as quickly as possible. I can assure the Deputy and the House that these endeavours will continue to be fully supported by this Government.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Minister that this is not simply a criminal justice issue, but it is predominantly a criminal justice issue. The Minister for Justice and Equality is the person within the Government who is responsible for criminal justice and for the resourcing of An Garda Síochána. With respect to the Minister, it is not sufficient for him to simply state that he wishes the Garda well in these endeavours. The Garda needs more than to be wished well by Government. It needs to be given full and adequate resources to ensure that this vicious feud can be stopped, so that the people of the north inner city can be protected. If, as the Minister said, the following is incorrect, I would like to see his statistics on the matter but it was reported that armed patrol units in the north inner city have been cut by 30% and that the covert backup by the special detective unit has also been cut. If that is so, it needs to be reversed.

This is not the time to cut back on Garda resources just as the feud appears to be reigniting. Everyone in the House has a responsibility which the Minister has recognised to ensure the people of the north inner city will not be treated as second-class citizens when it comes to their protection. They are being exposed to a vicious, violent feud that is having a traumatic effect on families and young people in the vicinity. We have a responsibility to ensure we face up to it and the best way to do that is to ensure the Garda has the resources it needs. I ask the Minister to meet assistant Garda commissioner Leahy to ensure he is properly informed on whether adequate resources are being provided for the force. Why are extradition requests not being submitted to European countries in respect of gangland criminals against whom there is sufficient evidence that they are responsible for instructing others to kill people on the streets of this city?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I meet the Garda Commissioner and senior Garda officers on a regular basis and will do so again in the near future. Garda operations in Dublin's north inner city are underpinned by increased resources made available to the force by the Government. In budget 2018 approximately €100 million has been allocated for Garda overtime to support ongoing operations such as Operation Hybrid. In 2016, at the request of the Garda Commissioner, funding was approved by the previous Government for the setting up of a dedicated armed support unit in the Dublin metropolitan region. It is now operational on a 24/7 basis.

The allocation and management of Garda resources, including the overtime budget, as the Deputy will be aware, are the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner, having due regard to operational needs. I have no role in that regard. It is a matter for Garda management to utilise the resources made available to it by the Government in the most efficient and effective manner, while also ensuring high visibility policing in communities to tackle the scourge of gangland crime head on. Gardaí are active on the international stage through Interpol and Europol and on a bilateral basis with other European states. Action is well under way to ensure that if there is sufficient evidence, those responsible will be brought before the courts. The Government has enacted legislation to target criminal activities further, including the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2016 which provides additional powers for the Garda, in particular to immediately seizure assets suspected of being the proceeds of crime to prevent them from being disposed of.

While the allocation of Garda personnel is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, I am advised that since January 2017, a number of new and additional gardaí have been assigned to Store Street, Mountjoy and Bridewell Garda stations. Furthermore, work is progressing towards the reopening of Fitzgibbon Street Garda station, with funding for the project having been made available in the mid-term capital review. A dedicated community policing office is also based in Store Street Garda station for the north central division to ensure the issues highlighted by the local community and stakeholders will be dealt with in an effective manner.

All of the endeavours we have discussed will continue to be supported fully by me and my Government colleagues. This type of crime will not be tolerated. We will continue to stand with the people of the north inner city.