Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prosecutions taken against persons involved in money laundering in each of the past five years to date; the number of convictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21403/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of proceedings commenced and convictions recorded for money-laundering offences for the period 2003 to 2008 is set out in the following table:

Figures provided for 2008* are provisional and liable to change. A number of offences for 2006, 2007 and 2008 may still be under investigation or before the courts.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of known criminal organisations involved in drug dealing; the estimated number of personnel involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21404/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 344: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of offences involving organised criminal gangs in each of the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21409/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 344 together.

I have been informed by the Garda Authorities that there are two categories of organised crime groups operating in this jurisdiction. The first category consists of groups that are well established and tightly structured involved in drug trafficking, armed robbery and firearms offences. The second category involves groups whose activities are characterised by less cohesive group structures and criminal activities which are mainly confined to Ireland.

The membership of organised crime gangs tends to be fluid and the nature of criminal activity is such that offences committed by members of gangs may or may not be connected with the individual's membership of such gangs. It is therefore not possible, without the expenditure of an inordinate amount of time and resources, to attribute specific figures to the membership or activity of such gangs.

An Garda Síochána utilises intelligence-led operations to target organised crime groups on an ongoing basis. All available intelligence is fully analysed and used in the strategic deployment of both local and specialised operational Garda units to target particular groups. A large proportion of organised criminal activity is associated with the illicit drugs trade.

Organised Crime is being targeted on a number of fronts, involving uniform and plain-clothes Gardaí overtly and covertly disrupting known criminals in the course of criminal activities, and profiles of the personnel of such groups are continually updated. Their members, operating methods, criminal interests and financial assets are likewise proactively targeted through intelligence-led operations, primarily undertaken by specialist units of An Garda Síochána, under the remit of the Assistant Commissioner, National Support Services. A number of organised crime groups have been targeted in this manner recently, with firearms being recovered and drugs seized resulting in a number of people from these organised groups being prosecuted and convicted before the Courts.

Measures have been put in place to deal with serious crime including Operation Anvil which commenced in May 2005 in the Dublin Metropolitan Region and was extended countrywide in 2006. The primary focus of Operation Anvil is the disruption of serious and organised criminal activity. In this regard Operation Anvil consists of intelligence-led targeted operations on the one hand and an increased overt visible Garda presence on the other. The Garda Commissioner has publicly re-affirmed his absolute commitment to the objectives of Operation Anvil, which is but one tool used by members of An Garda Síochána to combat crime.

An allocation of €20 million has been ring-fenced from the Garda Budget 2008 to ensure that ongoing operations of Anvil, which are augmented by other operations and initiatives both locally and nationally, continue to be undertaken by all units and sections of An Garda Síochána.

Multi-agency approaches have been, and continue to be used where all of the National Units from National Support Services i.e. the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the Garda Technical Bureau are used to combat serious crime. These Units are also supported by the Security and Intelligence Section who assist with intelligence briefings and timely information.

The Criminal Assets Bureau is being actively utilised to identify and target funds accumulated by criminals, in order to seize such assets and to deprive them of the profits of their criminal activity. A dedicated unit within the Garda National Drugs Unit has been established to liaise with the Criminal Assets Bureau to particularly target those criminals and criminal groupings believed to be deriving profits and assets from drug-related criminal activity.

This integrated approach adopts best practice in implementing a coordinated use of Garda resources and using available criminal legislation to its fullest extent. Operations are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure their effectiveness.

An Garda Síochána will continue with intelligence-led operations against selected targets to combat the criminal activities of these groups.