Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I am glad the Minister for Justice and Equality is present for this important debate. Yesterday morning it was chilling to hear of the barbaric attack on Mr. Kevin Lunney, a decent family man who has contributed greatly to the economic development of the Cavan-Fermanagh area, the much wider Border region and further afield. It was a violent and sinister attack on a good man, whom I have known well for more than 20 years.

Kidnapping and abducting an individual has no place in society. It is most reprehensible and I condemn in the strongest possible terms the deplorable act. Those of us who grew up in a Border community and have had the privilege of representing a large Border constituency believed that the era of kidnapping innocent people, throwing them in the boot of a vehicle, driving them to an isolated place and inflicting serious injuries was long past and that such thuggery, violence, attacks on persons and general lawlessness will not be tolerated in our area of County Cavan and the neighbouring area of County Fermanagh. I appeal to anybody who has any information about the attack or the previous serious incidents to speak to An Garda Síochána or the Police Service of Northern Ireland, PSNI. The thugs, who are obviously dangerous criminals, must be brought to justice without delay.

It is the latest in a series of attacks on members of Quinn Industrial Holdings, all decent men playing an important and positive role in the local community and economy. I am particularly concerned that no arrests have been made to date on either side of the Border. It is a campaign of intimidation. An Garda Síochána and the PSNI must work closely together on a daily basis to ensure that it ends immediately and bring those responsible to justice. The thugs who carried out the deplorable attack on Kevin Lunney must be caught and brought to justice as a matter of urgency. There is a serious moral obligation on anyone who has any information on the incidents to pass it on to the authorities either in our jurisdiction or in Northern Ireland. People in my community of Cavan-Monaghan and in the neighbouring community of County Fermanagh are outraged at the attack on Kevin and condemn strongly the other sinister attacks on his colleagues and the damage to property.

The latest attack is very worrying in light of the many other violent incidents of recent years. I wish Kevin Lunney a speedy recovery from the horrific injuries inflicted on him. I think of him and all his family, his friends and colleagues, during what must be a frightening time. I reiterate that the reprehensible thugs must be brought to justice and feel the full force of the law, whether here or in Northern Ireland. As I noted, it was chilling to hear the reports yesterday morning of Kevin's abduction. Reading the newspapers today was even more terrifying in view of the injuries inflicted on an innocent, decent, good man who has contributed handsomely to the development of our country.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the importance of the issue and thank the Deputy for raising it in the House. People on both sides of the Border were appalled when news of the vicious attack on the Fermanagh-Cavan border emerged in recent days. The Deputy, along with all other Deputies, will understand that the incident is now the subject matter of a significant investigation by the PSNI and An Garda Síochána. It would not be appropriate, therefore, for me to engage in detailed discussions at this stage, although I clearly and unequivocally condemn the utterly disgraceful attack that took place on Mr. Lunney. It was a reprehensible and cowardly act by barbarous thugs who have no regard for human decency or the rule of law on either side of the Border. I assure the Deputy and the House that An Garda Síochána and the PSNI will leave no stone unturned in seeking to identify and bring to justice those responsible for the sinister and reprehensible act. I take the opportunity to wish Mr. Lunney and his family well as they begin the process of recovery from the horrific and traumatic incident.

Over the past 24 or 30 hours I have spoken to a number of people in the community. I agree with the Deputy there is widespread revulsion at what has taken place in his constituency. The Garda Commissioner, Mr. Drew Harris, addressed the matter briefly yesterday at the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality and I have been in contact with him directly.

I have asked him to keep me fully informed on the progress in this important investigation. I appeal to anybody who may have information on this terrible incident to please contact An Garda Síochána or the Police Service of Northern Ireland as soon as possible in order to assist their inquiries and investigation. I ask Deputy Brendan Smith to use his influence in his constituency to spread that message, and I know he will do so. Gardaí may also be contacted by using the Garda confidential line at 1800 666111.

I am aware that the question of Garda resourcing has been raised. Yesterday, at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality, the Garda Commissioner, who is responsible for the deployment of Garda personnel and resources, confirmed there has been a major uplift in capability in the Cavan and Monaghan division. The northern region, like other parts of the country, continues to benefit from increased Garda recruitment. As of 31 August this year, there were 372 gardaí assigned to the Cavan and Monaghan division, supported by 43 Garda staff and eight members of the Garda Reserve. Over the past three years and due to Government funding for ongoing recruitment, Garda strength in the northern region has increased to approximately 1,500, which is an increase of 150 since the end of 2017. These gardaí are supported by approximately 150 Garda staff in the region, compared with 116 staff at the end of 2016, meaning there has been an increase of almost 30% in Garda staff in the northern region over the past three years. This means additional gardaí can be and are being redeployed from administrative to operational policing duties in the region where their training and policing expertise can be used to best effect.

I acknowledge the importance of the new operating model for An Garda Síochána announced recently by the Garda Commissioner, as this will see more gardaí on the ground protecting and supporting communities. I thank Deputy Smith for raising this matter and I join him in appealing for anybody with any information on this heinous crime to come forward to the PSNI and An Garda Síochána.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. During numerous debates in this House on legislation from the Minister's Department and during Question Time, we have discussed the unique policing demands of a border region. We do not know if those criminals were from our jurisdiction or North of the Border. I do not know at any rate. Wherever they are from, they must be brought to justice. Mr. Kevin Lunney is a senior executive in a company that provides 830 jobs in the Cavan and Fermanagh area. It is a very considerable level of employment. He and his colleagues must be assured that they can be safe going to work and people must feel safe in their communities. Recently, the High Court in Belfast was told of many incidents, including attacks on Mr. Lunney and his colleagues, as well as the property of the company.

I hope the Minister can address satisfactorily the concerns that have been expressed by the chairman of Quinn Industrial Holdings. He states it is "inexplicable that not a single arrest has been made north or south of the Border despite dozens of incidents". I know a large number of the 830 people who work in those companies. They are decent and honourable people who do an honest day of work. They want to be assured that no threats will be made to enterprises or colleagues going about their daily work.

I know An Garda Síochána, with limited resourcing - that is, unfortunately, always the way - is working assiduously in the Border region to deal with criminality, whether it arises from people in our jurisdiction or those outside it. I repeat that there must be a conscious decision made when resources are being allocated by An Garda Síochána that there are unique policing demands on a border Garda division. Please ensure that An Garda Síochána have the relevant personnel, equipment and resources to root out this criminality and deal with these thugs.

These thugs have no support in the communities that I am privileged to represent in this House. I come from that immediate area. I know where Mr. Lunney was abducted in Kinawley and where he was dropped off in Cornafean in Cavan. I know the area very well. I speak for those communities and they will not tolerate that behaviour. They are absolutely appalled by what has happened to a decent man.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Brendan Smith from Cavan-Monaghan and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle from Donegal would be more aware than most people that policing the Border region has always presented unique challenges that necessitate a collaborative approach to policing within law enforcement agencies north and south of the Border. Fortunately, we have never seen such a positive relationship between the PSNI and the Garda Síochána and I am confident that this close co-operation will enable both to continue to combat the threat posed by criminals who seek to exploit the policing challenges posed by the Border.

I am very much aware of the concerns that many communities close to the Border have about recent criminal-related events and the impact of Brexit. There is no question about the lethal terrorist intent of paramilitary groups and the persistent threat they present, as well as the cross-Border efforts of mobile organised crime groups responsible for multiple incidents, including burglary. This is the wider context for the increase in Garda resourcing in the area that I referred to earlier. It is also the context of the Garda Commissioner's operational decision to establish another armed support unit in Cavan. The Garda Commissioner has now established armed support units in all Garda regions to provide an armed response capacity on a regional basis to support and supplement the national emergency response unit. In the northern region, armed support units are based in Ballyshannon and Dundalk, and arrangements are now in train to provide for the establishment of a unit in Cavan.

I know everybody in the House appreciates the very serious impact that a crime like this can have on both a victim, his family and the wider community, as outlined by Deputy Brendan Smith. I take this opportunity to wish Mr. Lunney all the best in his recovery and I assure those who live in the Border region, including Deputy Brendan Smith and his constituents, that their safety is being given the highest priority by the State in this regard.