Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the reason behind the reported cut in the budget for Operation Anvil from €21 million to €10 million; the impact of this cut on Garda capacity to combat gangland crime; the budgetary implications for operations and policing in the Limerick Garda district; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3390/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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While the total Garda budget in 2011 of €1.412 billion represents an increase on the outturn for the Garda Vote in 2010, certain allocations within the Garda budget have to be reduced, as a result of the very difficult situation with the public finances and in common with other areas of public expenditure. The Garda Commissioner, who is the Accounting Officer with responsibility for expenditure within the Garda Vote, recently indicated that the overtime budget for Operation Anvil has been set at €10 million. This, of course, forms only a small part of the overall resources devoted by An Garda Síochána to tackling gangland crime.

In this context, the Commissioner made clear that where funding is required to meet any serious threat it will be found from within the Vote. I am confident that the substantial level of funding available to An Garda Síochána will provide sufficient resources to enable the Force to fulfil its functions effectively, including in the area of combating organised crime.

Considerable Garda resources within Limerick Garda Division are targeted at disrupting the criminal activities of crime groupings. These include high visibility patrolling in areas where there is serious criminal activity, with the aim of disrupting the activities of such groupings, preventing and detecting criminal activity and supporting the local community; intelligence driven operations targeting specific persons or activity; the Regional Support Unit which carries out patrols; and the work of the Criminal Assets Bureau in identifying individuals of interest within the Division and profiling their assets as probable proceeds of crime. In addition, legislation targeted at organised crime, including the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009 and the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009, is utilised.

There have been significant successes in the Division, including a considerable decrease in the number of incidents of discharge of firearms incidents, from 99 in 2007 to 18 in 2010.

I am informed that senior Garda management is satisfied that sufficient resources and support are available to continue the ongoing strategies to disrupt and dismantle organised criminal activities within Limerick Garda Division. An Garda Síochána will continue to develop and implement strategies to dismantle and disrupt criminal networks, utilising advanced analytical and intelligence methods to facilitate targeted operations aimed at early intervention and the prevention of crime. Such initiatives will continue to be put in place in all Garda Regions to tackle organised criminal gangs.