Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the degree to which the existence of organised criminal gangs continue to prosper and grow; if the number of such gangs and membership therein has increased or decreased in recent years; the extent to which the Gardaí continue to have available to them adequate resources with particular reference to modern technology and equipment in the fight against organised crime; if any further initiatives are desirable in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45957/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that organised crime, by its very nature, is constantly evolving and diversifying in both its structures and activities and that membership of organised crime groups tends to be fluid in nature.

Given the fluidity of membership, it can, therefore, be challenging to identify definitive numbers of groupings and members. Furthermore many modern organised criminal groupings are transnational in nature and engage in a wide range of disparate criminal activities.

Addressing such criminality remains a key ongoing priority for both the Government and for An Garda Síochána and these priorities are clearly reflected in the Garda Policing Plan for 2013 and in the Programme for Government.

However, I can say that An Garda Síochána continues to vigorously tackle organised crime through undertaking a range of targeted activities designed to disrupt and dismantle the operations of criminal organisations.

This approach involves targeting serious criminals and organised criminal groups on a number of fronts and across all geographical locations, including through the use of focused intelligence led operations by specialist units such as the Organised Crime Unit, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the work of the Criminal Assets Bureau.

As the Deputy will also be aware, the Garda authorities are continually looking at opportunities to employ new technologies to achieve their goals and to contribute to the services they provide. This is a policy that is designed to ensure that the Garda Síochána will be in a position to take advantage of proven up to date technological developments to meet the needs of an effective police force.

Additionally, considerable progress has been made within the Garda force in the field of modern technological support. In addition to a class-leading computer system, PULSE, these include the full roll-out of the state of the art National Digital Radio System, the Automated Fingerprint Information System and Automated Number Plate Recognition.

With regard to Garda transport, I am conscious of the continuing pressures on the Garda fleet and I am very pleased to have secured a further €9m for investment in the fleet, made up of €5m between now and the end of the year and a further €4m in 2014. At this stage, arising from the additional €5m being made available between October and December, the Garda authorities have arranged for the delivery of 305 new vehicles by the end of 2013. These are in addition to the 133 new Garda vehicles already made available during the year.

I would also draw the Deputy's attention to the recently published Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill 2013 which provides for the establishment of a DNA database. Enactment of this legislation will represent a major step forward in the fight against serious crime.