Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied that the gardaí have adequate resources to deal with the growing problem of organised crime, in view of the obvious growth of such crime over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42211/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength (all ranks) of An Garda Síochána increased to a record 13,000 on Thursday, 16 November, 2006, following the attestation of 299 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an increase of 2,298 (or 21.5%) in the personnel strength of the Force during that period. The induction of 280 new Garda recruits to the Garda College on 6 November, 2006 resulted in a combined strength, of both attested Gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,137. The Garda Budget now stands at €1.3 billion, a 13% increase on 2005 and an 85% increase since 1997 in real terms.

I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána as at 5 December 2006 was 12,990 (all ranks). In addition to the above, there are currently 1,127 Student Gardaí. It is projected that 1,100 new Garda Students will commence training at the Garda College next year.

The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is the Garda specialist unit tasked with the role of tackling organised crime. 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 Garda management allocated an additional 55 officers to the Organised Crime Unit of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation to augment the effort to target groups involved in organised crime in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. The unit is headed by a Detective Chief Superintendent and works closely with Gardaí deployed on "Operation Anvil" and with other specialist units.

These resources augment the unit's already in place and target organised criminal gangs on an ongoing basis. There have been successes in relation to many of these gangs where they have been arrested and charged with serious crimes and are now awaiting trial.

An Garda Síochána employs a range of techniques in the fight against serious and organised crime. The establishment of specialist Garda units, operating under the Assistant Commissioner in charge of National Support Services, has enabled An Garda Síochána to tackle organised crime effectively.

The level of resources available is kept under review by Garda Management to ensure they are in a position to tackle trends and developments as they become evident.