Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps that have been taken by his Department to tackle gun crime following the recent shooting of a member of An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22549/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The reprehensible gun attack on Garda Paul Sherlock last week was a stark reminder of the dangers facing members of the Garda Síochána as they go about their daily task of protecting us all. An extensive investigation team has been assembled comprising Gardaí attached to the DMR North Central Garda Division and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, supported by members from Crime and Security Section, Garda Headquarters. This investigation is progressing and a number of arrests have been made in the case.

Operation Anvil is central to the strategy of the Garda Síochána in combating serious crime and in particular murder. Operation Anvil continues to provide successes in this area. Figures which I received from the Garda Commissioner recently show that from its beginning in May 2005 to 9 September last, 768 firearms have been recovered, 37,437 searches for drugs have taken place and over 70,000 checkpoints established. These figures make clear the unrelenting nature of the activity being undertaken by the Garda Síochána to deal with these crimes.

In addition the Organised Crime Unit at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been strengthened to 70 persons and is tasked with targeting organised criminals and disrupting criminal networks by providing armed assistance during planned operations and searches against those persons suspected of being involved in organised criminal activities.

A package of crime investigation initiatives was recently launched by senior Garda management. These include the establishment of a crime training faculty at the Garda College, Templemore to provide a professional, comprehensive training programme for those charged with the management of serious crime investigations. Senior Investigating Officers will also be appointed. These will be key personnel who will take charge of serious crime investigations. Incident Room Co-ordinators will manage serious crime investigation incident rooms, and specialist victim interviewers will interview persons under 14 years of age or with special needs who are victims of sexual crime.

Additional Divisional Detective Inspectors will be appointed and will be allocated on the basis one per District in the Dublin Metropolitan Region and one per Division outside the DMR. Regional Detective Superintendents will be responsible for the investigation of serious crime were also announced. Pre-screening and competency based interviewing have been commenced as part of the selection process for Detective Gardaí and Sergeants. This will enhance best practice and procedures in the investigation of serious crime.

A Major Investigation Management System will also be developed to provide a PULSE based management system for all serious investigations.

As a result of the enactment of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 the Garda Síochána are in a much better position to ensure that those involved in gun crime will be made accountable for their actions. The Act intensifies further the fight against gangland activity by:

making it more difficult to get bail in drug trafficking, firearms and other serious cases;

having tighter controls to monitor post-release activity by introducing monitoring orders and protection of persons orders;

having enhanced penalties for those who reoffend within 7 years of a previous offence;

giving further guidance on the application of mandatory minimum sentences in cases of drug trafficking and firearm offences, while fully respecting the discretion and independence of the judiciary;

providing for indefinite retention of fingerprint samples;

extending detention periods in the case of certain very serious offences; and

updating the law on the right to silence.