John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 246: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of additional Garda hours provided in Lucan under Operation Anvil and the results achieved under this operation in Lucan. [32118/06]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 247: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of additional Garda hours provided in Blanchardstown under Operation Anvil, and the results achieved under this operation in Blanchardstown. [32119/06]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 248: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of additional Garda hours provided in Rathcoole under Operation Anvil; and the results achieved under this operation in Rathcoole. [32120/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 to 248, inclusive, together.

Operation Anvil commenced in the Dublin Metropolitan Region on 17 May, 2005 with a view to addressing the problem of serious crime such as gun crime, robberies, burglaries and combating an emerging gun culture. At my request Operation Anvil was extended outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region during 2006. For the purposes of Operation Anvil Lucan, Blanchardstown and Rathcoole are covered by the Dublin Metropolitan Region West Garda Division.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that 38,024 hours have been expended by local Garda management in the two Garda Districts which cover the Lucan and Rathcoole areas and that the number of additional hours available to each District is 3,000 hours per month. I am also informed that 41,619 hours have been expended by local Garda management in the Garda District which covers the Blanchardstown area and that the number of additional hours available to the District is 6,000 hours per month. These allocations are subject to change, depending on policing requirements.

The following table, which shows the statistics for Operation Anvil in the Dublin Metropolitan Region West Garda Division up to 1 October, 2006 indicates that the Operation has contributed to encouraging successes across a number of headings.