Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals to combat the ongoing threat of drug related criminality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7768/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Government attaches the highest priority to tackling organised crime including drug trafficking and bringing those involved in such activities to justice. One of the main priorities I have set for the Garda Síochána in 2009 is to target gun crime, organised crime and drug related crime through a range of measures, including the use of the Garda specialist units and targeted operations such as Operation Anvil.

I am assured by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána, in co-operation with the Revenue Commissioners, will ensure that all available resources will be deployed in targeting the major gangs involved in organised criminal activity, including drug trafficking and the following are some of the specific strategies put in place by An Garda Síochána, to date, to address the sale, supply, importation and distribution of illegal drugs:

the allocation of appropriate resources at the Garda National Drugs Unit and at district and divisional level;

the establishment, on a permanent basis, of the Organised Crime Unit with the specific objective of targeting those suspected of involvement in organised crime, including drug trafficking, importation, sale and supply.

the establishment of dedicated Divisional and District Drug Units and the allocation of additional personnel to those already established;

internationally, An Garda Síochána works closely with relevant law enforcement agencies including all EU agencies, the Drugs Enforcement Agency (US), Interpol and Europol. An Garda Síochána also has Liaison Officers based in the Hague, London, Paris, Madrid Europol and Interpol.

participation at the Maritime Analysis Operations Centre for Narcotics based in Lisbon

ongoing training programmes for personnel as Divisional Asset Profilers, who have the specific remit of targeting assets of persons who are suspected of being involved in the importation, sale and supply of drugs at local, divisional / district, level.

A number of other specific measures have been put in place to deal with serious crime. These include Operation Anvil and other intelligence-led operations which have been used to target specific individuals.

The Criminal Assets Bureau is also 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.

In addition and as the Deputy will know, I have secured a ringfenced allocation of €21million this year in the Garda budget to ensure ongoing operations of Anvil, which are augmented by other operations and initiatives, both locally and nationally, and continue to be undertaken by all units and sections of An Garda Síochána. Furthermore, the criminal law has also been considerably strengthened, for example, by making it more difficult to get bail in drug trafficking and firearms cases. The periods the Gardaí can question people suspected of involvement in serious crime have been extended, and the law on the right to silence has been updated.

The Government has also approved my proposals to introduce new legislation underpinning the use of covert surveillance methods principally by the Gardaí. Under the legislation, the State will be able to use collateral material obtained by means of covert surveillance as evidence to support or strengthen the case for the prosecution at a criminal trial. I am also moving ahead with my proposals for a DNA database. Finally I can assure the House that the Government will continue to give absolute priority to the frontline fight against crime. The Garda budget for 2009 of €1.589 billion, the ringfencing of €21m for the continued implementation of Operation Anvil this year and the ongoing increase in Garda numbers provides clear evidence of this commitment.