Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide details of the number of armed robberies in each county for each of the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; and his plans to resource Gardaí to combat these in future. [39336/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide relevant statistics directly to the Deputy.

An Garda Síochána's Policing Plan for 2012 reflects the priorities which I have set for the current year and includes as a strategic goal the objective of confronting serious crime in all its forms. The Gardaí employ multi-disciplinary, intelligence-led approaches to ensure the activities and resources of individuals and groups involved in all criminal enterprises, including armed robbery, are effectively targeted. A wide range of legislative powers are in place to support the investigation and detection of serious crime, including by means of covert surveillance, and very serious penalties have been introduced for firearms and organised crime offences.

Serious criminals are being brought before the Courts on a regular basis and substantial sentences handed down. At the present time, the Garda authorities have in place a number of intelligence led operations focusing on violent organised crime groups, as a direct result of which a number of individuals are before the courts charged with serious offences, up to and including murder. I want to restate my appreciation of the efforts of An Garda Síochána to counteract this type of crime and of the many achievements which they have had in this regard. The Gardaí are devoting all the necessary resources to the investigation of the serious crimes referred to by the Deputy and have my full support.