Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Justice and Equality

Garda Resources

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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238. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if, given the recent upsurge in gang-related violence in the Dublin area and the comments by the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors on inadequate Garda Síochána resources, she plans to specifically target gang crime; if additional resources will be made available to gardaí in Dublin; if she accepts the role that funding cuts have played in the ability of gardaí to tackle this type of crime in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7668/16]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The 2016 Budget allocation of €1.5 billion for An Garda Síochána includes over €67 million in additional funding which, in addition to the recruitment of new trainee Gardaí, also provides additional funding for Garda surveillance, special operations and targeted, intelligence-led policing. This additional recruitment and budget allocation builds on the current high level of investment in Garda vehicles.

Earlier this year the Government moved decisively to strengthen the resources available to An Garda Síochána to deal with gang-related crime in the Dublin area through an additional allocation of €5 million, as well as steps to establish a dedicated Armed Support Unit in Dublin. These measures are supporting concentrated policing measures in Dublin City and I remain in close contact with the Garda Commissioner who has outlined the substantial efforts being made by An Garda Síochána to identify and target those involved.

Over €34 million has been invested in new Garda vehicles since 2012 with over 640 new vehicles coming on stream since the start of 2015. This significant investment provides the Gardaí with additional high-powered vehicles, marked and unmarked patrol cars, and motorcycles for high-visibility road policing which will support important anti-crime strategies such as Operation Thor. Investment in a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose Garda fleet will continue under the Government’s Capital Plan 2016-2021 which provides €46 million for new Garda vehicles, ensuring that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community.

The Government is also investing in Garda airborne surveillance and enhanced technology and ICT systems. In fact, the Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides an additional €205 million for Garda ICT over the lifetime of the Plan which will allow An Garda Síochána to deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in the fight against crime. Taken together, this step-change in investment in policingdemonstrates this Government's commitment to investing in 21st Century policing and will ensure the Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.

I am informed by the Garda Authorities that An Garda Síochána continues to develop and implement operations and strategies to target, dismantle and disrupt organised criminal networks, utilising advanced analytical and intelligence methodologies. Multi-disciplinary approaches are utilised to ensure that the activities of individuals and groups involved in criminal enterprise are effectively targeted, including through the use of the Proceeds of Crimes legislation, money-laundering legislation and the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau, as well as co-operation with Customs, other police forces, Europol and Interpol. Furthermore, An Garda Síochána proactively participate in international exchange of information on emerging crime trends and training facilitated by CEPOL, Europol and Interpol.

In addition to the range of Garda enforcement measures outlined above, An Garda Síochána also engages extensively with communities in various fora to address local concerns relating to crime and community safety, including the impact that organised crime can have at a community level.

I might add that heavy penalties are provided for weapons offences in our criminal law and mandatory minimum penalties have been introduced for certain firearms offences. The considerable powers already available to Gardaí have been supplemented further by the newly established DNA Database which will have the capacity to link suspects to unsolved crimes using forensic evidence, and will greatly assist Gardaí in investigating serious gun crimes and a whole range of other serious offences.

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