Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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94. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she monitors the activities of criminal gangs throughout County Kildare and other counties adjacent to County Dublin; if she is satisfied with the adequacy of the resources available to An Garda Síochána to tackle this issue in line with demographic trends; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9579/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána carefully monitor the activities of criminal groups in all areas of the country, including Co. Kildare, and are implementing strong policing measures to disrupt and dismantle their networks. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of Garda resources to specific areas, but I am assured that Garda management constantly monitor the distribution of resources in the light of crimes trends and overall policing needs in a given area.

Mobile gangs engaged in burglary and related crimes are targeted through Operation Thor. This Operation represents a carefully considered strategy which was developed after I initiated a broad review of our approach to burglary crime in the early part of last year and is now supporting a concerted drive against those involved in burglary crime, including the highly mobile criminal gangs who have targeted communities in Kildare and many other areas. The concentrated Garda activity under Operation Thor has included more than 19,000 anti-crime patrols and in the order of 23,000 targeted checkpoints nationwide. There have also been in the region of 1,300 arrests covering a range of offences which, in addition to burglary have included handling stolen property, possession of firearms and drugs offences. During the last three months of 2015 the burglary rate fell by 26.6% nationally compared to the same period in 2014, coinciding with the launch of Operation Thor in November 2015.

Operation Thor delivers on increased investment in policing by this Government and marks a significant step-up in the Garda response to burglaries and related crime. In excess of €5 million is being specifically committed to support Operation Thor and includes funding for Garda overtime which will support a combination of additional patrols, checkpoints, rapid armed response and public awareness measures. Furthermore, 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 underlining the ongoing commitment in the Programme for Government to resource and equip An Garda Síochána to provide enhanced policing and support local communities in all areas of the country.

The Deputy will also be aware that under the new Programme for Government we are pressing forward with an accelerated programme of Garda recruitment with a view to achieving a Force of 15,000 members. This is a central element of the Government's anti-crime strategy and we have already made provision for the recruitment of 1,150 new Gardai since we reopened the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014.