Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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136. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which she expects Garda numbers in the various Garda stations throughout County Kildare to be replenished, in line with demographics and criminal activity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13810/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of Kildare Garda Division on 28 February 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 300. These resources are augmented, when appropriate, by Gardaí from national units such as the Garda National Drug Unit and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The first intake since 2009 of 100 new recruits entered training at the Garda College, Templemore, on 15 September 2014. As part of Budget 2015, a further intake of 200 recruits in two batches was announced. On 15 December 2014, the first 100 of these batches commenced their training. The remaining 100 entered the college in early February. This will bring to 300 the number of recruits in the Garda College and is a measure of the Government's commitment to ensure that recruitment to An Garda Síochána continues seamlessly. The September intake will attest as members of the Garda Síochána in May 2015 and the December intake will attest in August 2015. In addition, I have received sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for two further intakes of 125 Garda recruits later this year. On attestation they will be assigned to Garda stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner and the needs of Kildare Garda Division will be fully considered.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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137. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the degree to which adequate resources are being made available to an Garda Síochána, to combat the supply of guns to organised criminal gangs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13811/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.

The An Garda Síochána Policing Plan for 2015 sets out the continued commitment of An Garda Síochána to pro-actively target groups and individuals engaged in serious crime in all its forms, in particular violent crime and organised criminal activity. Members of An Garda Síochána continue to utilise all available legislation, including the additional legislative provisions introduced by the Oireachtas in 2009 which amended the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 relating to organised crime.

Europol have identified the need for a community wide approach to help tackle Organised Crime Groupings including law enforcement, customs, business interests and government policy. An Garda Síochána are acutely aware that the targeting of Organised Criminal Groupings is best advanced by using multi-disciplinary approaches to ensure the activities of individuals and groups are effectively targeted. This includes the use of the Proceeds of Crimes Legislation including money-laundering legislation and the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau.

An Garda Síochána also interact with a number of other law enforcement agencies from outside the jurisdiction in the ongoing combating of drugs and firearms trafficking and organised crime on an international level.

Taking cognisance of the target focused operations of both the Organised Crime Unit and the Garda National Drug Unit and the strength that could be gained from combining resources, the Commissioner decided to merge the Organised Crime Unit and the Garda National Drug Unit to create a robust entity, the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureauto effectively tackle organised crime as it currently exists in this country.

The newly amalgamated unit will benefit from the skill sets of both the Organised Crime Unit and the Garda National Drug Unit personnel, in establishing an enforcement and investigative unit which will manage national and international drug trafficking and organised crime investigations.

Organised crime is often transnational in nature, constantly evolving and diversifying to take advantage of the prevailing economic and social conditions; developments in technology; and increasing mobility at a global level. An Garda Síochána continues to develop and implement operations and strategies aimed at targeting, dismantling and disrupting criminal networks, utilising advanced analytical and intelligence methodologies.

The resources available to target the activities of Organised Criminal Groups (OCG’s) include direct resources allocated to the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureauitself as well as indirect resources which include the services of specialist units as well as Divisional and District Drugs and Detective Units.