Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the general approach to policing the situation in Limerick; and if he is satisfied that there are adequate numbers of gardaí on the ground in the estates suffering the worst levels of crime there. [13996/08]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals to deal with the continuing problem of inter-gang violence, particularly in the Limerick area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14038/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 89 together.

The Garda will continue to police Limerick to meet the challenges posed by the activities of gangs and organised crime. The Commissioner is adopting a hard policing approach and has deployed a unit from the Emergency Response Unit on a 24 hour basis. The ERU team is under the supervision of local Garda management and is operating through patrolling and checkpoints. The ERU deployment is providing support for regular policing activities and at the same time provides reassurance to the law abiding communities of Limerick.

The areas most affected by criminal activity are intensively policed, with additional resources, both armed and uniform, being deployed at short notice depending on intelligence received or in response to incidents involving feuding factions. The operation of the gangs in these areas are kept under constant surveillance. Currently armed patrols exclusively cover the most affected areas of the city on a 24 hour basis.

Initiatives under Operation Anvil are also in place within the Division supported by the National Support Services, including the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Air Support Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Offenders and gang members are actively monitored on a daily basis, and a considerable volume of intelligence has been gathered. Targeted, intelligence-led operations are aimed at curbing their activities, seizing their property and removing illicit drugs from the street. The intensity of the Garda operation is reflected in the fact that 70 firearms of all types and calibres were recovered in Limerick Division in 2007 and 15 to date in 2008. In addition a number of significant drug seizures have been made.

Considerable resources will continue to be put into containing and pursuing this gang activity. An additional 70 officers have been deployed to Limerick in the last twelve months, bringing the total strength there to 602 — the highest number ever deployed in the Limerick Division. By comparison, at the end of 1997 there were 423 personnel — an increase of 42%.

At the same time, the Gardaí are committed to the community policing ethos. Almost 80 officers are dedicated exclusively to community policing patrols, particularly in the areas of highest concern. These patrols are undertaken on foot or mountain bike, an initiative which is regarded locally as being extremely successful.

Limerick City has a very active Joint Policing Committee, where there is very close co-operation between the Gardaí and local elected representatives.

The Government is also very aware of the broader considerations and the urgent need to tackle the concentrations of disadvantage and deprivation which exist in Limerick. Following the Fitzgerald Report on addressing issues of social exclusion, the Limerick Southside and Northside Regeneration Agencies launched ambitious vision statements for the regeneration of disadvantaged areas of Limerick, in particular, Moyross, Southill and O'Malley Park, earlier this year after a wide consultation process. Their plans provide a blueprint for action on an unparalleled scale which will lift the areas out of the cycle of despair and disadvantage which characterises them currently.

I have been assured by the Garda Commissioner of his personal commitment to providing in 2008 the Garda resources recommended in the Fitzgerald Report.

An Garda Síochána will continue to respond appropriately and forcefully to the developing situation in Limerick, and will have the full support of the Government in doing so. The Government is at the same time committed to tackling the roots of deprivation and exclusion, not only because it is the proper thing to do, but also because it will help remove some of the motivators of the kind of unacceptable behaviour we are seeing.