Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter for the people of Drogheda and the wider area of counties Louth and Meath. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, who, unfortunately, is unable to be here. I know that the Senator, as well as Deputy O’Dowd, has been monitoring the position closely since the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, last updated the House in November on the steps being taken by An Garda Síochána to neutralise the feud. The Taoiseach will visit Drogheda tomorrow to discuss this and other matters directly with members of An Garda Síochána.

The Senator will be aware that when the Minister visited Drogheda Garda station last December, he was very impressed by the robust response that had been put in place by the Garda authorities in the region. There is a dedicated policing operation, Operation Stratus, specifically targeting the ongoing feud. The operation consists of high visibility patrols and checkpoints, days of action and covert policing initiatives, targeting specific parties to the feud. The operations are supplemented by personnel from the regional armed support unit, the drugs unit and the divisional roads policing unit and have resulted in the seizure of considerable amounts of cash, firearms and controlled drugs.

The Minister is aware of the recent incidents that have taken place in the Drogheda area and, of course, the shooting that occurred at the M1 Retail Park earlier this week. The incident on Tuesday is even more shocking when we consider that it occurred during the day, with families and children nearby. In that context, the Garda Commissioner has publicly spoken about issues such as protecting the most vulnerable and highlighted that his priority is having a policing model that will provide the best outcomes for communities.

The distribution of Garda resources is constantly monitored. A particular distribution model is used that takes into account all relevant factors, including population, crime trends and overall policing needs at local level. The Minister has been informed that on 31 January, the latest date for which figures are readily available, the strength of the Louth division was 340, with 118 gardaí assigned to the Drogheda Garda district. There are also 22 Garda reserves and 33 civilians attached to the division.

The Minister wants to be very clear that this situation will not be allowed to continue. There has been a sustained and concerted effort on the part of An Garda Síochána to bring those engaged in the feud to justice. I know that the Minister and the Garda Commissioner are dedicated to tackling gang-related violence in Drogheda and ensuring the safety of all citizens in the community and the wider area.