Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of cases of murder in which firearms were used in respect of each year from 1998 to date in 2006; the number of such cases in which prosecutions for murder were initiated; the number of such cases where convictions were secured; if he is satisfied regarding the level of detection and conviction in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22135/06]

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of murders in which firearms were used since the beginning of 2006; his views on the continuing level of gun murders, many of which are gang-related; the steps he is taking to deal with this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22136/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 59 together.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table shows the figures available for murder offences recorded, detected, proceedings commenced and convictions, where a firearm was used for the years 1998 to 2005 and in 2006 up to 7 June.

While no level of murder is acceptable, I would advise the Deputy that Ireland has one of the lowest murder rates in the western world. For example, figures recently published by the Scottish Executive show that in the period 2000/2002 the average homicide rate per year in Scotland was 2.27 per 100,000 population. In Glasgow it was 6.29 per 100,000 population. By comparison, in the same period Ireland had an average annual homicide rate of 1.89 per 100,000 population and the rate in Dublin was 2.12.

The Government's top policing priority for 2006 is to continue to target organised crime, including drug trafficking, and the gun culture associated with it. This is being implemented through deployment by the Garda authorities of specialist units and the use of targeted operations to tackle specific criminal activities. I am in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner in order to keep the measures and resources for tackling serious crime under continuing review. All killings, regardless of the circumstances involved, are the subject of rigorous investigation by An Garda Síochána.

While the term "gangland murders" tends to be widely used in the media in referring to the nature of certain unlawful killings and speculation in this respect is understandable, this does not correspond to the manner in which An Garda Síochána classifies crime or particular offences. Caution is necessary in ascribing particular motives to any particular incident as, potentially, this might jeopardise the procedures which need to be followed for the proper investigation and prosecution of offences.

Operation Anvil commenced in the Dublin Metropolitan Region on 17 May, 2005 and is ongoing. It is focused on targeting active criminals and their associates by preventing and disrupting criminal activity through extensive additional overt patrolling and static check points by uniform, mobile and foot patrols supported by armed plain clothes patrols. I am informed by the Garda authorities that this operation, which is running in conjunction with regular policing, is proving to be very successful in disrupting the criminal activities of a number of key criminal gangs and families and has resulted in a number of high profile arrests. All areas of the city are covered by Operation Anvil, with specific locations and individuals being targeted for additional Garda attention. Since the commencement of the operation, 43 arrests have been made in connection with murder investigations and 424 firearms have been seized.

Also, in November last year, the Garda Commissioner augmented the Organised Crime Unit at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation by an additional 55 Garda members to address the problem of gangland activity. Enforcement by the unit has resulted in a number of arrests, seizure of firearms and the disruption of criminal activities.

I am bringing forward a range of measures to strengthen the law governing the control of firearms in the Criminal Justice Bill, 2004, which is currently before the House. These new measures include increases in fines and penalties generally for offences under the Firearms Acts and the creation of mandatory minimum sentences, of between five and ten years, for certain firearms offences, including possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, possession of firearm with criminal intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, possession of a firearm while hijacking a vehicle, and use or production of a firearm to resist arrest.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of homicides and serious assaults in each year from 2000 in which knives were used; his views on the introduction of a knives amnesty similar to that underway in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22129/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of homicides and serious assaults recorded and detected in each year from 2000 in which knives were used are as outlined in the table.

The Criminal Justice Bill 2004, which is currently at Committee Stage in the House, amends the Firearms Acts, 1925 to 2000 to provide a statutory basis for the introduction of an amnesty during which firearms, flick-knives and weapons of offence may be surrendered to the Garda Síochána before new penalties and mandatory minimum sentences are introduced. A weapon of offence is defined as any article made or adapted for use for causing injury to or incapacitating a person, or intended by the person having it with him for such use.

During the amnesty period persons who surrender such weapons will not be prosecuted for the simple illegal possession of the weapon where the act constituting the offence was part of the process of the surrender. However, surrendered weapons will be forensically tested and where found to have been used in a crime the weapon and the forensic evidence will be admissible in any proceedings subsequently brought.