Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the areas of law enforcements in respect of which his Department has achieved its greatest success rate and its lowest success rate in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35938/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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My Department has no direct role in law enforcement which is primarily a matter for the Garda Síochána. However, a comprehensive series of performance indicators is contained in my Department's 2003-2005 strategy statement. These performance indicators are linked to the high level goals, objectives and activities of the Department. I intend to publish a new strategy statement shortly. The Department's 2004 annual progress report in respect of this strategy statement will be published later this year and placed in the Oireachtas Library.

I remind the Deputy of the Government's landmark decision of October 2004 to approve the recruitment of 2,000 additional gardaí to increase the strength of the force to 14,000. Clearly, the additional Garda resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies particular areas with a significant drugs problem and a large number of public order offences, while it will be possible to address other priorities as well, such as the need to significantly increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic law enforcement duties. One thing I have already promised is that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties but will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing.

I have secured an increase of €146 million, or 13% when compared with 2005. The Garda budget is now at an historic high of over €1.29 billion, representing an increase of 115% over the 1997 provision which stood at just under €600 million.

Strong provisions are already in place to combat all categories of crime including public order offences, other related offences and alcohol related violence. These provisions include the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 and the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2003. The Criminal Justice Bill 2004 which is currently before the House will contain a range of anti-crime measures including legislative proposals to provide for anti-social behaviour orders, a proposal to provide for criminal offences in relation to participation in a criminal organisation and a series of measures to increase sentences for the more serious range of firearms offences, including the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences in some cases. I am also introducing a new offence of illegally modifying a firearm, for example, sawing off a shotgun barrel, and the imposition of severe penalties for this offence.

I believe that the new legislative provisions, together with the vastly increased Garda resources which were secured in the Estimates, announced last week, will assist greatly in dealing with the scourge of gun crime and organised crime.