Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the opportunity to raise this issue and I welcome the fact that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, is in the House to take it. The issue is self explanatory and barely requires further expansion from me. At midday yesterday the Independent Reporting Commission reported on progress being made towards ending continuing paramilitary activity. The commission's core finding is concerning, namely that "paramilitarism remains a stark reality in Northern Ireland" that continues to be a serious obstacle to peace and reconciliation. Some 21 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, this is a worrying assessment and it should remind us all that implementing the agreement is still a work in progress and that progress in recent years has been slow, to put it at its most diplomatic. It is indeed ironic that the Independent Reporting Commission now operates under the mandate given to it by the Fresh Start agreement of 2015. If the other bodies and institutions took the mandate to start afresh and focus on their own roles as seriously and assiduously as the Independent Reporting Commission, we would all be in a better place on this island.

In their assessment, the four members of the Independent Reporting Commission state clearly and unambiguously that ending paramilitarism can only be sustainably brought about by means of a twin track approach which combines policing and justice responses alongside systemically tackling the serious socioeconomic deprivation facing the communities in which paramilitaries operate. The commissioners specifically recommend that tackling paramilitarism be made a new dedicated outcome in a programme for Government. They view this as the best way of achieving the whole-of-system approach that is needed in Northern Ireland. As a representative of a Border community that has enjoyed the benefits of the Good Friday Agreement that have been allowed to flow, I agree wholeheartedly with the commissioners in this judgment and urge both Governments and the political parties in Northern Ireland to put the eradication of the scourge of paramilitarism and paramilitary criminality at the core of any future programme for Government of a future Executive in Northern Ireland. Such an Executive and a Northern Ireland Assembly is sadly lacking at present.

There is much more we can do now, however, starting with making all of the necessary resources and manpower available to An Garda Síochána and the PSNI without delay. Indeed, the Independent Reporting Commission specifically calls for increased and enhanced neighbourhood policing and for urgent action to address the delays in cases coming before the courts. I do not know of a single person in Cavan or Monaghan who would not endorse that call 100%. Co-ordinated action is needed now to tackle the wanton intimidation of whole communities by paramilitary gangsters that we have seen over the past few weeks and months. I had the opportunity some weeks ago in this House to outline my abhorrence and that of the people I am privileged to represent of the cruel terror that was inflicted on Kevin Lunney. There were also other despicable and cowardly incidents perpetrated on other Quinn Industrial Holdings executives that were intolerable. These are a challenge to our local communities and to this State but the rule of law must prevail at all times. I must emphasise the fact that this is the view of more than 99.99% of the people that I represent in the Border communities. Previous Governments and Ministers for Justice and Equality have shown how this State is prepared to use all its resources to stand up to the gang lords and thugs. Over a decade ago in Limerick such necessary action was taken with a successful outcome. We need to show the same level of seriousness and resolution today. The first step must be to dramatically increase the resources available to An Garda Síochána in the Border areas to show that this State will not tolerate the intimidation of individuals or communities, regardless of the jurisdiction from which the perpetrators come.

In conclusion, this House should express its gratitude to the four members of the Independent Reporting Commission, Mr. John McBurney, Mr. Tim O'Connor, Ms Monica McWilliams and Mr. Mitchell Reiss for their continuing service.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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There is no more consistent an advocate for Border security and policing than Deputy Brendan Smith. I say that not only in respect of my time as Minister for Justice and Equality, but also previously as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Deputy and others will acknowledge that policing the Border region has always presented particular challenges and these necessitate a collaborative approach to policing between law enforcement agencies North and South of the Border. There is ongoing close co-operation between An Garda Síochána in this Republic and the PSNI in Northern Ireland. The importance of this ongoing high level of co-operation has been emphatically demonstrated again in recent weeks by the abhorrent attack in County Fermanagh to which Deputy Brendan Smith referred. I visited the area and was briefed by the Commissioner and the investigation team in Cavan. It is clear that elements of this horrific crime took place on both sides of the Border and a joint investigation is ongoing, including ongoing sharing of information and evidence between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI.

I am sure the Deputy will join me in welcoming the Commissioner's decision to establish an additional armed support unit in Cavan town. This unit will complement the work of units already based in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, close to the Border and in Dundalk, County Louth, the home town of Deputy Breathnach, in the northern region. The northern region has benefitted from the accelerated recruitment to An Garda Síochána and the unprecedented €1.76 billion budget provided to the force for 2019.

Since the end of 2017, Garda strength in the northern region has increased by 150 to approximately 1,500, with Garda staff in the region also increasing by approximately 150, which represents an increase of almost 30% over the past three years. The ongoing recruitment will provide the Garda Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of gardaí to the region to deliver a visible, effective and responsive policing service. These requirements will be kept under ongoing review by Garda management with a view to addressing any policing requirements for the Border region which may arise from time to time. In the event that a no-deal Brexit gives rise to additional requirements in Border areas, further resources can and will be provided through redeployment.

I acknowledge what Deputy Brendan Smith said about the Independent Reporting Commission, IRC, report. In November 2015, the British and Irish Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive agreed a series of measures under the Fresh Start agreement as part of a concerted and enhanced effort to tackle organised and cross-jurisdictional crime. These measures included the creation of the joint agency task force which is led by senior officers from An Garda Síochána, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Revenue Commissioners and UK Revenue and Customs. This joint agency task force meets regularly and did so most recently this week in Belfast. Both Governments are determined that, regardless of the political outcome of Brexit, the excellent ongoing level of co-operation between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI must and will continue. It is important that every resource be made available, as Deputy Smith rightly says, to combat the threat posed by dissidents and criminals of an organised and ruthless nature who seek to exploit the policing challenges faced in the Border area.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his detailed response. As he knows, the Independent Reporting Commission report is very clear that ending paramilitary activity is made immeasurably more difficult by two issues, namely, the vacuum created by the absence of devolution and uncertainty over Brexit. A return to political decision-making in Stormont is essential in order to comprehensively address these issues, which are multifaceted and deep-rooted. I have often said in this House that the one political mandate that all of us on this island have is to implement the Good Friday Agreement, having been given that mandate through the referenda held both North and South in May 1998. Sadly, we do not have a functioning Executive or Assembly in Northern Ireland, for which both Sinn Féin and the DUP should be ashamed as they have held up the restoration of those necessary institutions. A non-functioning North-South Ministerial Council has also been a huge loss to this country, as it could have been central to the preparations for Brexit in an all-Ireland context.

The residue of paramilitary activity must be eliminated. Great emphasis must be placed on dealing with these criminals who masqueraded for decades under so-called political ideologies, resulting in destruction and loss of life. That must be ended once and for all.

The Minister correctly pointed out that I have consistently raised the need for additional resources for the Border region in this House. I have often said that there are unique policing demands in the Garda Border division. The Minister used that phrase on television the other night. I have always highlighted the need for additional resources because of cross-Border criminality. It hurts me and 99.9% of the people I have the privilege of representing when we hear ill-informed commentary that our region is lawless or that its people do not subscribe to the rule of law. Sadly, a very small number of criminals both North and South have inflicted damage on the area. I reiterate that more than 99.99% of the people living in the Border region are law-abiding. They work hard, the same as people in every other part of our country, pay their mortgages, rear their families, pay their education and health bills and are looking to the future. They want to be secure in the knowledge that they are safe when going to and from work. That does not take away from the fact that a very small number of people can do a lot of damage to a region, but the people I represent believe in the rule of law.

An anniversary mass for the late Paul Quinn, a young man who was murdered in horrific circumstances by thugs and criminals, was held only a few weeks ago. Recently, my colleague, Deputy Breathnach, launched a report on cross-Border crime on behalf of committee A of the British-Irish Parliamentary Association. The report noted that there had been an increase in the number of criminal groups with cross-Border operations over the past five years, rising from approximately one in five groups in 2014 to one in three in 2018. Cross-Border criminality, in which people are involved in illicit trade in drugs, fuel products and so on, must be tackled with every possible resource available to the State and its agencies both North and South.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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It is both appropriate and timely that Deputy Brendan Smith should make specific reference to the second report of the Independent Reporting Commission, which was published yesterday by the British and Irish Governments. It draws attention to a recent upturn in paramilitary activity and paramilitary-related murders over the past year. I think of Jim Donegan, Ian Ogle and Lyra McKee. The report also makes clear that the lack of a Northern Ireland Executive is a hindrance to progress. There is an urgent need for the re-establishment of the institutions in Northern Ireland and for political leadership to be restored. A key recommendation of the IRC report is that tackling paramilitarism should be properly placed within the Northern Ireland programme for government. This placement should address the complex and interconnected social deprivation factors, such as educational under-attainment, which strongly correlate with the legacy of paramilitarism in many areas. This recommendation cannot be implemented while an Executive is not sitting in Northern Ireland. I join Deputy Smith in his call in that regard.

I spoke recently to the UK Home Secretary and met the recently appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. I assure Deputy Smith that I took both these opportunities to reaffirm our deep commitment to continuing the close working relationship we have with our colleagues in Northern Ireland and the UK on matters such as security and risks in the Border region. I remind Deputies that this co-operation and intelligence-led policing is producing significant results in addressing cross-Border criminality. Last Thursday, for example, gardaí attached to the national drugs and organised crime bureau intercepted a commercial haulage vehicle in Dundalk and recovered cannabis herb with an estimated value of €3.2 million, subject to analysis. Two men were arrested and investigations are ongoing.

I reaffirm that An Garda Síochána has the full support of the Government in its ongoing work addressing cross-Border criminality. We are providing record resources to enable it to perform this critical role. I welcome the interventions of Deputies Breathnach and Brendan Smith from the Border area, not only this evening but on a consistent basis. It is important that we all work together towards ensuring that the scourge of violence and criminality of an organised nature in the Border area is by no means tolerated.