Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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The heinous murder of Garda Tony Golden has diminished us all. Following the equally foul murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, this vile act has stunned the communities of Omeath, Blackrock and the wider Border area. There is a major problem with criminals masquerading as republicans and indulging in criminal acts such as large-scale smuggling, including of tobacco, diesel laundering, racketeering and extortion. They are out of control.

The Garda is undoubtedly doing a great job. In recent weeks, there has been evidence of an increased Garda presence in Cooley and my area of Haggardstown. I am told that a great deal of valuable information has been gathered, not just on cross-Border criminality but also on motorway criminals. The Garda is building a large bank of information.

What measures have been taken to increase security in the area following the heinous murder of Garda Golden? I wish to raise the suggestion of a cross-Border task force involving the Garda, the PSNI, the Revenue Commissioners, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, HMRC, the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, the UK National Crime Agency, the relevant justice Ministers and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.This task force concept has been advocated previously by a committee of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly chaired by Senator Paul Coghlan in its comprehensive report on cross-Border crime. I was very pleased to see yesterday that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charlie Flanagan, has called for the establishment of this task force. In the context of the talks going on around the Stormont House agreement and the danger to the institutions in the North, he has said that he sees that such a task force would be a vital component of the successful conclusion of those talks. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, is right on the money in his suggestion to establish a task force. I hope he gets the full support of all involved for his proposal. It is time to put a stop to the gallop of these criminals who think they are beyond the law.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Jim D'Arcy for tabling this Commencement matter. I apologise to him on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, who cannot be here to answer his question.

The murder of Garda Tony Golden in the line of duty was a loss for the nation. Our thoughts are with his family and friends in their grief. He displayed a courage and commitment to duty which is in the best traditions of An Garda Síochána. His killing is a stark reminder of the considerable risk that the women and men of An Garda Síochána face on our behalf in their daily work. My sister served in the Garda Síochána for almost 30 years.

The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. The Minister for Justice and Equality has been informed by the Commissioner that the allocation of personnel is monitored continually to ensure optimum deployment. This process is reviewed periodically in the light of particular incidents of concern. In this context, the Garda Commissioner has directed the allocation of an additional 27 gardaí, including two sergeants, to the Louth division as an interim measure. These gardaí are being transferred on a temporary basis to support the work of the 283 members of An Garda Síochána assigned to the Louth division.

The Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, has secured an increased allocation in budget 2016 that will allow for the recruitment of an additional 600 new gardaí next year on top of the 550 that will be recruited before the end of this year. The work of local gardaí in the legislation is augmented by a number of Garda national units, such as the drugs and organised crime unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau, in accordance with operational demands. Tackling organised crime is a priority for the Government, the Garda and other law enforcement authorities. Of course it is a shared priority with the authorities in Northern Ireland, and extensive cross-Border co-operation is in place to tackle smuggling and other Border-focused criminal activities. This work involves police, customs and other law enforcement agencies from both jurisdictions. The inter-agency cross-Border enforcement groups on fuel and tobacco fraud are examples of this joint work in action. The Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, met recently with the Minister of Justice in the North, David Ford, to discuss what more can be done to tackle cross-Border crime. The Ministers jointly hosted the annual cross-Border organised crime seminar in Sligo on 30 September and 1 October, which was attended by more than 100 delegates from North and South. It was one demonstration of the close and ongoing co-operation between the two jurisdictions in this regard. The Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, is examining, in co-operation with her counterparts in the North, ways to build on the excellent co-operation that already takes place in this area.We want an enhanced overarching structure put in place to support it. Of course, the comments of the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, reflected that.

The Irish Government wants agreement to be forged in respect of proposals to establish enhanced cross-Border structures to tackle organised crime within the current talks process. It is the joint working of all the law enforcement agencies involved on both sides of the Border that will be crucial to tackling these issues. As a Government, we will support them in any way we can.

Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his reply and welcome the allocation of an additional 27 gardaí, including two sergeants, to the Louth division. As I said previously, their work in the area is bearing much fruit. It is to be hoped that can make a big difference.

I refer to the cross-Border task force. I note the comments of the Minister that she would welcome increased co-operation with her counterparts in the North to build on the excellent co-operation that already takes place in this area, which should be noted. We want to see that enhanced and there is a need to put in place an overarching structure to support it. The comments of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, reflected that. It is my earnest wish that progress be made in this matter and that the task force be established in short order.

Before I conclude, I wish to congratulate Chief Superintendent Pat McGee of the Louth-Meath division on an excellent and amazing career in An Garda Síochána. He is retiring this weekend. He has been to the forefront in the Louth-Meath division for many years. In my village, Blackrock, County Louth, we formed a hurling team together when he first came to the area, believe it or not. He had played in an all-Ireland minor final for Wexford. I wish him very well. He is a very popular and hard-working chief superintendent.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I join the Senator in recognising the work carried out by Pat McGee and his contribution to enforcement of law and order in the Louth area very successfully for a number of years.

As the Senator recognised, the Government is committed to the ongoing renewal of An Garda Síochána and this is reflected in the strong programme of investment in front-line resources. Since 2012, the Government has invested almost €29 million in renewing the Garda fleet to support front-line Garda responses. In this regard, the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, recently announced the allocation of a further €5.3 million for the purchase of a further 260 vehicles between now and the end of the year. This new investment will provide additional high-powered vehicles, marked and unmarked patrol cars, cars for surveillance and covert operations, motorcycles for high visibility road policing and vehicles for public order policing. The Government's capital plan 2016-2021 provides an additional €46 million for new Garda vehicles. It also provides major additional investment of €205 million over the lifetime of the plan for Garda ICT systems and technology. This will bring the overall Garda ICT funding to €330 million over the lifetime of the capital plan. The increased budget allocation that the Minister secured for 2016 will also facilitate additional funding for Garda surveillance, special operations and targeted intelligence-led policing.

The Government and relevant law enforcement agencies will maintain and intensify their focus on combating organised crime, whatever its aims and origins. In respect of Border-focused crime, we will continue to work in close co-operation with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and develop measures to enhance and support this joint approach to crack down on those who exploit Border communities for their criminal ends.