Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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334. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice in relation to the threat posed by some groups, commonly referred to as dissidents; if she will ensure that adequate resourcing is provided to deal with any threats emanating from such criminal groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40242/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I meet frequently and have ongoing discussions with Northern Ireland's Minister of Justice, David Ford, on the broad range of issues relating to North-South police and criminal justice co-operation, including the threat to security that is posed by the paramilitary groups on this island. The security situation is also the focus of my meetings with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers.

The threat from these groups is real and persistent. It is a matter of shared concern North and South and there is a common resolve to continue to take all necessary actions within the law to bear down on these groups. I can assure the Deputy that countering the paramilitary threat has always been a priority for the Government and the Garda Síochána and nothing has changed in that regard.

Operational security co-operation is the key to putting these groups out of business and the Garda authorities work very closely and successfully with their counterparts in Northern Ireland in actively bearing down on these groups and on the organised criminal gangs with which the paramilitaries are inextricably linked. Indeed, they are deeply involved in serious crime in order to fund their activities and their lifestyles. The Deputy will know that the Gardaí and the PSNI have mounted a number of successful co-operative Border operations to disrupt paramilitary activities.

I am strongly committed to ensuring that the Gardaí have the necessary resources they need to bear down on these groups not just in terms of personnel and equipment, but also in terms of the legislative provisions available. I have secured an increase in the Garda funding for 2015 which will facilitate increased recruitment to the force and additional Garda equipment. In this regard the Deputy will also be aware that I recently published the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2014 to further strengthen the State's body of counter terrorism law.