Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the results to date of Operation Anvil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23707/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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On 16 May the Commissioner initiated Operation Anvil, a special intelligence-led operation within the Dublin Metropolitan Region with additional resources made available to him. The primary focus of this operation is the targeting of active criminals and their associates involved in serious crime by preventing and disrupting this criminal activity, through extensive additional overt patrolling, and staticcheckpoints, by uniformed mobile and foot patrols, supported by armed plain-clothes patrols.

Operation Anvil is in addition to ongoing Garda operations and is not causing them to be scaled back. While Operation Anvil applies to the Dublin region, similar Garda actions are taking place in the rest of the State under existing arrangements. The operation is operating for an initial four month period after which it will be reviewed.

I understand from the Garda authorities that as a result of the operation, 420 arrests have been made to date and 83 firearms recovered. A number of investigations are ongoing, and investigation files will be submitted for directions to the law officers in due course.

I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that the necessary resources are being directed towards the containment and detection of such serious criminal activity.