Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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587. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on representations received from the Cooley Peninsula Community Alert Group regarding its concerns for the safety of members of An Garda Síochána and of the community following the murders of persons (details supplied) in the north Louth area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38032/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The murders of Garda Tony Golden and Garda Adrian Donohoe, both of whom were killed in the line of duty, are a stark reminder of the considerable risks that the women and men of An Garda Síochána face in their daily work on our behalf. Our thoughts are with their families and friends in their grief. In carrying out their duties they both displayed the courage and commitment to duty which is in the best traditions of An Garda Síochána.

The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I am informed by the Commissioner that the allocation of personnel is monitored continually to ensure optimal deployment and this process is reviewed periodically in light of particular incidents of concern. In this context, the Garda Commissioner has directed the allocation of an additional 27 Gardaí, including two Sergeants, to the Louth Division as an interim measure. These Gardaí are being transferred on a temporary basis to support the work of the 283 members of An Garda Síochána assigned to the Louth Division.

This Government is committed to the ongoing renewal of An Garda Síochána and I have secured an increased allocation in Budget 2016 that allows for the recruitment of an additional 600 new Gardaí next year on top of the 550 that will be recruited before the end of this year. The work of local Gardaí in the Louth Division is augmented, of course, by a number of Garda national units, such as the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit or the Criminal Assets Bureau, in accordance with operational demands. This Government has also invested over €34 million in new Garda vehicles since 2012 with over 640 new vehicles coming on stream in 2015, ranging from more Garda patrol cars to high-powered vehicles for armed units. This will ensure Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community. We are also investing in airborne surveillance and enhanced technology and ICT systems. This investment in Garda personnel and resources will ensure that An Garda Síochána has the capacity to deliver a highly-mobile and responsive policing service in both rural and urban communities.

Operation Thor, a new multi-strand national anti-crime and anti-burglary operation which was launched yesterday by the Garda Commissioner will make full use of this continuing investment. Operation Thor, which has been in planning for several months, builds on previous and current Garda operations and entails a broad range of activities to tackle crime, particularly burglaries in both urban and rural communities nationwide and criminal gangs using the national road network. A further allocation of in excess of €5 million has been committed to Operation Thor. This allocation, which includes funding for Garda overtime will support a combination of additional patrols, checkpoints, rapid armed response and public awareness measures.

Tackling organised crime is a priority for both the Government and the Garda and other law enforcement authorities. Of course, it is a shared priority with the authorities in Northern Ireland and there is extensive cross-border co-operation in place to tackle smuggling and other border-focused criminal activities. This work involves the police, customs and other law enforcement agencies from both jurisdictions. The interagency cross-Border enforcement groups on fuel and tobacco fraud are two examples of this joint working in action. I met recently with the North’s Justice Minister, David Ford, to discuss what more can be done to tackle cross-border crime. Minister Ford and I jointly hosted the Annual Cross Border Organised Crime Seminar in Sligo on 30 September/1 October last with over 100 delegates attending from North and South. It is one demonstration of the close and ongoing co-operation between the two jurisdictions in this regard. I am examining, in co-operation with my counterparts in the North ways to build on the excellent co-operation that already takes place in this area. It is the joint working of all the law enforcement agencies involved, on both sides of the border, which will be crucial to tackling these issues.

The totality of the Government response will ensure that Gardaí have the necessary tools and manpower to tackle the scourge of criminality in all its forms and improve the safety for all communities across the country.