Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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Regrettably, I must once again raise the issue of sale and supply of controlled substances in my city, Limerick. While inroads have been made with regard to sale and supply, the main drug supermarket and leading supplier of crack cocaine remains open on a near 24-7 basis. I raised this issue last year and, in fairness, the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, unlike her predecessor, listened to what we were saying and committed to take an action. Action duly followed with the initiation of the joint Garda-Limerick City and County Council operation, namely, Operation Copóg. This combined operation has had some impact, with numerous arrest and seizures over the past 12 months. The council also played a constructive role by demolishing some of the vacant properties that have been used for storing drugs.

That said, one need only to walk into St. Mary's Park in Limerick, which I do regularly, to see what is happening. Last Sunday, I visited most of the homes in the area. One can clearly witness for oneself the sale of crack cocaine from the property to which I refer. Local gardaí have told me that they are not aware of anything like this in any other part of the State. The issues of drug sales, accompanying crime and antisocial behaviour have been raised with the Minister for Justice, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach by me over the past 18 months. While positive steps, such as the commencement of Operation Copóg and the removal of restrictions on Garda overtime in Limerick, have been taken, more needs to be done.

St. Mary's Park is a very old and very settled estate. It is a welcoming estate where working families have lived for generations. I am proud to call many of its residents my friends. Yet it continues to be held hostage by drug gangs. People who have lived in the estate all their lives have told me they are reluctant to walk past specific houses or to call the Garda. Quite frankly, I can totally understand why this is the case. St. Mary's Park is a small estate where everybody knows their neighbours, for better or for worse. Despite Garda action, many residents believe that drugs gangs are now in control and can operate with impunity. The customers are not from the community. People travel from far and wide to get their drugs there.

What would the Minister of State say to a constituent of his if they asked why the State is pursuing him to the ends of the earth for a minor infraction while the drug supermarket in question remains open continuously? This is undermining support for the forces of law and order. What would he say to those residents who need only look out the window and see the gangsters laughing and joking and often selling again less than an hour after a Garda raid? What can he say to residents who have had planning applications for house extensions declined while others can construct security walls around their properties without planning permission?

Let me be very clear as to what is happening in this estate. The drug supermarket is not like some Amsterdam coffee house. The main business is not hash; its main business is the sale of one of the most destructive and addictive drugs possible, namely, crack cocaine. To give a flavour of just how addictive the drug is, a street outreach worker from Ana Liffey Drug Project in Limerick told me that one client told him that crack has brought him to places he thought he would never physically or mentally go. Another outreach worker told me a client of hers would spend €1,000 to €2,000 per night.

The problem is that the sale and supply of dangerous drugs does not happen in a vacuum. The growth of drugs trade is quite often linked to disadvantage and poverty. Youth unemployment is a major problem in Limerick. Eight out of the ten unemployment black spots in the State are in my city of Limerick.

We have reached a tipping point. We have reached the point where those who are tired and frustrated will act as they see fit. They see little impact from the State. What they do see is smirking hoods preying on addicts.

There was a time when we had 92 community gardaí in Limerick. They did incredible work. They liaised with the community, spoke to young people and acted as a bulwark. they helped to steer many away from crime, but the number of such officers has been cut by more than 60%.

Some 12 months on, we are not seeing the results we had hoped for. Crack cocaine remains prevalent in Limerick and in the wider mid-west. Success in this matter can now only be measured by whether the forces of the State can permanently close this crack-dealing hub and take those who profit from the sale of drugs off our streets.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising this very important matter around the issue of Garda Operation Copóg, the aim of which is to target the sale and supply of controlled drugs in Limerick.

The Government is acutely aware of the sustained and significant damage that drug dealing has on communities across the country. Organised criminal activity, including drug dealing, represents a serious threat to communities and safety.

The continued destruction of the supply of all illicit drugs remains a priority for An Garda Síochána and the other State agencies tasked with responsibility in this regard. A concerted effort has been made over the past year to ensure that the detection and prevention of these types of criminal activity have not been adversely affected by the unprecedented demands placed on policing services by the vital enforcement of public health restrictions.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity and the enforcement of legislation pertaining to illicit drugs. As Minister of State, I have no direct role in these matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that Operation Copóg commenced on 8 March 2021 to disrupt and target the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the St. Mary's Park area of Limerick city. Additional resources were also allocated to the community policing unit in Mayorstone and dedicated solely to the St. Mary's Park area to provide a high-visibility policing presence and reassurance to the local community. These community policing members work closely with the divisional drugs at Henry Street Garda station to target individuals who are involved in the sale and supply controlled drugs, with a particular focus on the sale of crack cocaine. Operation Copóg is supported by the regional dog unit, district crime units, the armed support unit and regular units.

I am informed that a search operation was conducted as part of Operation Copóg on 20 December 2021. Search warrants were executed at a number of premises and properties in St. Mary's Park as part of this operation. During the course of the operation, €700 worth of suspected cocaine was seized, along with items used for the preparation of crack cocaine, including baking soda and chemical ammonia. One man was arrested in relation to this investigation and appeared before Limerick District Court on 21 December 2021. I understand that investigations into this matter are ongoing. Operation Copóg was initially planned for a three-month period. However, I am advised it has been extended on a number of occasions due to operational policing demands.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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I would like to mention the work of gardaí in Limerick in respect of this matter. In fairness, they have responded and made arrests and seizures. I have no doubt that they share my frustration. I speak to them on an almost daily basis regarding the continued operation of the drug supermarket. They, in the main, have responded whenever I have raised concerns directly with them. I thank them for this.

The focus of our discussion is the Department of Justice's response to the issue in Limerick. This is a very important part of the response but it is not the only aspect of it. This is an issue that requires a cross-departmental response.

I mentioned earlier that the scale of drug dealing does not happen in a vacuum. Another important element of the rise of the sale of crack cocaine is the lack of funding for the drug and alcohol forum. The Mid-West Regional Drugs and Alcohol Forum in Limerick had its funding cut every year from 2008 to 2014. Despite the escalation of the drugs crisis, funding for many groups has been effectively frozen since 2014. The lack of proper funding has severely affected the delivery of services for communities. We need to restore funding to 2008 levels at least as soon as possible, while ensuring that the responsibility of implementing local drugs strategies remains local. Failing to do this would be a big mistake.

As already stated, local people are becoming despondent and need to see some tangible results, such as the closure of the infamous drug supermarket.

Funding and outreach groups such as Ana Liffey Drug Project that could go and meet people in their own areas across Limerick would have a very positive impact and would be money well spent. When I raised the issue last year the Minister responded positively. She invited all local Oireachtas Members to meet with her in order to air their concerns and put forward solutions. I would be amenable to meet with the Minister again in respect of this matter, which is of great importance to the people of Limerick.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising the very important matter of Operation Copóg, which targets the sale and supply of controlled drugs in Limerick. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, GNDOCB, is having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and supply of illicit drugs by organised crime groups. The bureau's work is supported by Garda divisional drugs units nationwide and by all gardaí working in local communities. The GNDOCB also works closely and productively with international law enforcement partners. Gardaí continue to work closely with local authorities, the HSE, NGOs, community groups and other State agencies to tackle the problems of drug addiction and drug abuse.

On 12 January, An Garda Síochána issued operation statistics on the work on the GNDOCB last year which included: cash seizures in 2021 of €5,639,310 and £38,571; cash forfeited to the State in 2021 of €8,230,886 and £142,520 and $23; and drug seizures valued at €63,689,000, subject to analysis.

I can also inform the Deputy that on 2 July 2021 An Garda Síochána commenced an enhanced national anti-drug strategy, Operation Tara, which has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing throughout rural and urban Ireland. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks at all levels, international, national and local, involved in importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs including that of crack cocaine.

I am assured that gardaí continue to engage closely with Limerick City and County Council to support the regeneration work in St. Mary's Park and to explore enforcement options available to deal with specific individuals and properties involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs. Gardaí also continue to liaise closely with residents and public representatives. I will bring the Deputy's comments to the Minister's attention.