Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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509. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to outline the actions his Government has taken to combat crime, especially in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37159/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Government's response to crime in both rural and urban areas, and burglaries in particular, is focussed on two key objectives; strengthening the law to get tougher on serious and repeat offenders and investing in the capacity of An Garda Síochána to enforce that law effectively. In relation to legislation, the Deputy will be aware that Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Bill, 2015 is currently before the Houses of the Oireachtas and that it provides new tougher measures to target repeat burglary offenders. In addition, the Government is making significantly enhanced resources available to the Garda Commissioner, including the very significant investments in manpower, vehicles and surveillance resources which were announced on Budget Day and in the Capital Plan 2016 - 2021.

Yesterday I joined the Garda Commissioner and senior Gardaí at Garda Headquarters for the launch by An Garda Síochána of Operation Thor, a new multi-strand national anti-crime and anti-burglary operation. Operation Thor has been in the planning for several months and is being launched both as a follow-on to recent announcements regarding investment in policing and to coincide with the advent of longer winter nights.

Operation Thor will entail a broad range of activities to tackle burglars, organised crime gangs and prolific offenders as well as working with communities to prevent crime. These include: additional high-visibility patrols in identified burglary hot-spots; increased used of checkpoints to tackle the criminal gangs using the national road network; the use of new high powered vehicles by the armed Regional Response Units; efforts to disrupt the stolen goods market; programmes to help reduce re-offending by prolific offenders; a high-profile national crime prevention awareness campaign to be launched later this month, and targeted crime prevention advice for local communities and enhanced supports for victims.

Operation Thor is made possible by the increased investment in policing by this Government, including an allocation of €5 million to specifically support this new Operation. This follows the investment of €34 million in Garda vehicles since 2012, with 640 new vehicles becoming available this year, including high powered vehicles for armed Garda units. There is also important investment in airborne surveillance and the Capital Plan 2016 - 2021 provides for a very significant investment in new Garda technology and information systems as well as the ongoing delivery of new Garda vehicles, amounting to €205 m over the life of the Plan. Operation Thor is further supported by the ending of the moratorium on Garda recruitment by this Government, with 550 new recruits having already been taken in and a further 600 to commence training next year.

In addition to the extensive policing measures, there are several crime prevention initiatives which have been established by An Garda Síochána in partnership with the Irish Farmers Association, Muintir na Tire and other rural community organisations, including the well established Community Alert Programme, the ongoing work of the Metal Theft Forum, the Crimestoppers campaign highlighting the Theft of Livestock, the new Theftstop initiative in relation to farm equipment, and the highly successful Garda Text Alert Scheme. I am pleased to say that I have secured €397,000 for the crime prevention initiatives supported directly by my Department in 2016, including Community Alert and Crimestoppers, and this represents a doubling of funding in this area.

Taken together the measures which I have outlined mark a significant step-up in the overall response to burglaries and underlines the Government's determination to confront crime and protect communities in rural and urban areas.