Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 185: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the principals of all known criminal organisations operating throughout the country have been questioned or arrested in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22228/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 187: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the action he proposes to take to put organised crime gangs out of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22230/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 193: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the extra resources he intends to make available to An Garda Síochána to facilitate a crackdown on organised crime, drug trafficking, intimidation of witnesses, extortion, racketeering and protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22236/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 200: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will make available extra Gardaí of various rank and sufficient in number to tackle organised crime with particular reference to overt and covert surveillance on those involved in drug dealing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22243/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 201: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí currently directly involved in tackling organised crime, drugs or people trafficking; his plans to increase these numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22244/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 185, 187, 193, 200 and 201 together.

Let me say at the outset that the Gardaí are, in fact, conducting a major crackdown on organised crime, including drug trafficking and other types of organised criminality.

The Deputy will appreciate that policing operations and the deployment of Garda resources are matters for the Garda authorities. It is the responsibility of Garda management to allocate personnel to and within divisions on a priority basis in accordance with overall policing requirements. However, I am, of course, in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner in order to keep the measures and resources for tackling serious crime under continuing review. The overall allocation of Garda resources, including manpower, to the Garda Commissioner reflects the Government's policing priorities and An Garda Síochána has never in its history been better resourced.

The Deputy will be aware of the Government's decision in October, 2004 to approve my proposals for the recruitment of 2,000 additional Gardaí to increase the strength of An Garda Síochána to 14,000. Delivery of this commitment is on target and will be achieved. The combined strength of attested Gardaí and recruits in training will reach 14,000 by the end of 2006 and the additional resources are being allocated to areas most in need, including areas with significant levels of serious crime.

The Garda budget is now at an all-time historic high having reached €1.310 billion, which is more than double the budget for 1997. The 2006 Garda overtime allocation has risen by €22.4m to €83.5m, which represents an increase of 36.6% over the allocation of €61.1m for 2005. This will facilitate, among other things, the continuation of operations targeted at the prevention and detection of crimes such as gangland murders, organised crime, racketeering and other criminal activity which gives rise to serious community concern.

An Garda Síochána now employ a wide range of techniques in the fight against serious crime. While each member of An Garda Síochána is generally responsible for the prevention and detection of crime, the establishment of specialist Garda units, operating under the Assistant Commissioner in charge of National Support Services, has proven to be particularly effective in tackling organised crime. The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is the Garda specialist unit tasked with tackling organised crime. (The current strength of the Bureau is approximately, 145.) It carries out this role by conducting intelligence-driven operations in close co-operation with other specialist units, including the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the Criminal Assets Bureau. In November, 2005, an additional 55 officers were allocated to the Organised Crime Unit of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation to augment the effort to target groups involved in organised crime. The unit is headed by a Detective Chief Superintendent and works closely with Gardaí deployed on "Operation Anvil" and with other specialist units.

A Government top policing priority for 2006 is to continue to target organised crime, including drug trafficking, and the gun culture associated with it through the deployment of specialist units and the use of targeted, intelligence-led operations. As a specific response to the problem of gun crime in Dublin, the Government decided to provide funding for "Operation Anvil". This operation was undertaken, not as the sole response to this problem, but as a targeted response to augment the work which the Gardaí were doing each day to address gun crime. "Operation Anvil" specifically targets active criminals and their associates through the use of measures such as overt patrolling, static checkpoints, uniformed mobile and foot patrols supported by armed plain-clothes patrols and covert operations.

"Operation Anvil", which has been extended nationwide in recent months, has resulted in a number of very successful outcomes, including the seizure of 424 firearms. In addition, up to the week ending 21 May, 2006, 29,708 checkpoints have been mounted and 10,065 drugs searches have been conducted. It has seriously disrupted the activities of a number of key criminal gangs and families, resulted in a number of high profile arrests and facilitated the collation of intelligence on the movements of criminal targets.

Garda strategies to deal with drug offences are designed to undermine the activities of organised criminal networks involved in the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs. These strategies include gathering intelligence on individuals and organisations involved in the distribution of drugs and conducting targeted operations on criminal networks based on intelligence gathered. In addition, Gardaí continue to work in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, both within this jurisdiction and in an international context, to address the national and international aspects of drug trafficking and distribution. These strategies continue to result in operational successes. The trafficking and distribution of all illicit drugs at local, national and international levels is constantly monitored by the Gardaí.

The current strength of the Garda National Drugs Unit is 55, five of whom are temporarily seconded to the Organised Crime Unit of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The two specialist units work closely. In addition, a total of 260 Garda personnel are allocated to divisional and district drug units in the six Garda regions.

Regarding the level of Garda resources tasked with preventing human trafficking, a joint task force, which pools the resources of Garda specialist units and detective units, has been established. The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) acts as the lead unit for the task force. Other specialist units involved include the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Garda National Drugs Unit, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Criminal Assets Bureau. The GNIB has a number of sections which have an investigative role. The total strength of the GNIB at 17 May, 2006 was 161 members of An Garda Síochána and 32 civilian personnel.

Where there is justification and a legal basis, those suspected of involvement in criminal activity are arrested, detained and questioned in relation to specific crimes. Members of An Garda Síochána must, however, have reasonable grounds for believing that an individual has been involved in criminal activity before any person can be arrested, detained and questioned in relation to alleged criminality.

It is widely acknowledged that our legislative package for tackling serious and organised crime is already one of the toughest in Europe. The Criminal Justice Bill provides a comprehensive package of further anti-crime measures which will enhance the powers of the Gardaí in the investigation and prosecution of offences. The Deputy will be aware that I have brought forward a number of amendments to the Bill providing for the creation of criminal offences in relation to participation in organised crime, the strengthening of existing provisions for the 10 year mandatory minimum sentence for drug trafficking and a range of amendments to the Firearms Acts. The enactment of this Bill is a top priority for this Government.