Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Gabhaim buíochas don Chathaoirleach as seans a thabhairt dom críoch a chur leis an díospóireacht. Tá brón orm nach bhfuil morán ama agam, ach déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall. Ar son an Aire Dlí agus Cirt, gabhaim buíochas do ghach éinne a labhair ar an ábhar seo.

Gun crime is a matter that has been addressed seriously by all sides of the House. Organised crime and drug related crime are inextricably linked, as has been pointed out. The Minister has reiterated that he attaches the highest priority to tackling these types of crime and bringing to justice those involved in such activities. One of the main priorities he has set for the Garda Síochána for next year is to target gun, organised and drug related crime through a range of measures. Chief among these measures is the use of the Garda specialist units and targeted operations such as Operation Anvil.

This is a time when the public finances are under pressure. Nevertheless, the Minister will continue to give top priority to front-line policing. Funding for Operation Anvil will increase in 2009 from €20 million to €21 million to enable it continue with targeted disruption of serious and organised criminal activity. Other key operations will be maintained throughout 2009, and any savings that have to be made will not be allowed to diminish front-line policing.

In regard to bail, the Bail Act tightened up the bail regime generally. The Criminal Justice Act 2007 introduced new provisions designed to tighten up the granting of bail. For example, a person could be required to provide a statement of his or her means, previous criminal record and details of any offences committed while previously on bail. The law takes a serious view of offences committed while on bail. It is mandatory that a sentence for such an offence is consecutive on the sentence for the first offence. Committing an offence while on bail is to be regarded as an aggravating factor. Failure to answer to bail is to be regarded as an offence committed while on bail.

The granting of bail is a matter for the courts. The Director of Public Prosecutions, who is independent in the performance of his functions, represents the State for the purpose of dealing with such applications. The Minister is keeping under review what is actually happening and whether anything more needs to be done. He will examine in particular whether the changes in the 2007 Act, which are not long in place, are bringing about an improvement in the position.

Regarding what Senator O'Donovan said about the surveillance Bill, it is envisaged that the powers of the Bill can be exercised by senior members of the Defence Forces as well as the Garda Síochána. Regarding community gardaí, in which we are all interested in terms of our own constituencies, they provide an extremely important point of contact between the Garda Síochána and local communities. At the end of October, the total personnel strength of the force was 14,247. Of these, 695, or almost 5%, were community gardaí. This represents an increase of 59% since the end of 2005. It must be stressed that community policing involves more than just a single unit within the Garda Síochána. As a former teacher I relate to what Senator Healy Eames said in terms of targeting resources at children at risk. I mentioned that recently on "Questions & Answers" when I spoke about the subject of gun crime.

In this discussion we must bear in mind the rehabilitation of prisoners for long-term justice. The prison and probation services provide a range of rehabilitative programmes with the aim of encouraging positive personal development in prisoners and preparing them for re-integration and resettlement on release from custody. More than 250 prison service posts and in excess of 90 workshops operate in our prisons, actively catering for in excess of 800 prisoners each day. Educational services are now available at all institutions and are provided in partnership with a range of educational agencies.

The Irish Prison Service is developing and rolling out a fully co-ordinated integrated sentence management system across all prisons and places of detention. This system is being piloted in two prisons currently and the lessons learned from the evaluation of the pilot will inform the continued roll-out to all other institutions.

This has been an important debate and I know Members expect that action will follow from it. I assure them that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has taken careful note of all suggestions with a view to improving efficiency in our justice system.