Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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181. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent of the current illegal drug prevention measures available to An Garda Síochána; the adequacy of such measures; the degree to which measures taken continue to disrupt the illegal drug distribution system; the extent to which this contributes to overall drug and crime prevention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28208/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity, and the enforcement of legislation pertaining to illegal drugs. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

The continued disruption of the supply of all illicit drugs remains a priority for An Garda Síochána and the other State agencies tasked with responsibilities in this regard. A concerted effort has been made over the past two years to ensure that the detection and prevention of these types of criminal activity have not been adversely affected by the unprecedented demands placed on policing services by the vital enforcement of public health restrictions. 

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) is having significant success in disrupting drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs by organised crime groups. The Bureau’s work is supported by Divisional Drugs Units nationwide, and by all Gardaí working in local communities. GNDOCB also works closely and productively with international law enforcement partners. Gardaí continue to work closely with local authorities, the HSE, NGOs, community groups and other State agencies to tackle the problems of drug addiction and abuse.

The Deputy may be aware that the Department of Health leads on Government policy in the area of drugs, and this policy is guided by the national drugs and alcohol strategy "Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025". This strategy represents a whole-of-Government response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. The implementation of the strategy is led by my colleague, the Minister for Health, however, the strategy includes actions for all stakeholders, including my Department and An Garda Síochána.  

The strategy recognises the need for a balanced health-led approach - reducing demand, while also reducing access to illegal drugs - and is aimed at reducing the number of people criminalised for the possession of drugs for personal use. While this strategy supports vulnerable people who use drugs, it is also matched with strengthened enforcement measures across Government to tackle the supply of illegal drugs. Sustained action by An Garda Síochána continued unabated throughout the pandemic, bringing significant convictions and ongoing seizures of drugs, firearms and ammunition.

I can inform the Deputy that on 2  July 2021, An Garda Síochána commenced an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, Operation Tara, which has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing throughout rural and urban Ireland. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks at all levels - international, national and local - involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs.

Recent successes of Operation Tara include:

- Gardaí arrested and charged 3 men in Co Louth following the seizure of an estimated €90,000 worth of drugs on 10 May;

- A man and a woman arrested by the Galway Divisional Drugs Unit on 11 May following a seizure of €70,300 of suspected cannabis;

- An estimated €400,000 worth of drugs seized and two persons arrested in Cork on 09 May;

- Approximately €1.5 million found in follow up searches in the Newbridge area of Co Kildare after a man was arrested in Meath on the M1 with €39,750 in cash in his vehicle;

- An estimated €779,450 worth of cocaine was seized during a search on 28 May.

All drugs seized are subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI).

I am advised by the Garda authorities that in 2021, the GNDOCB seized €63.689m in illicit drugs, and seized cash of €5.6m and £38,751 (UK).

I also wish to acknowledge the work of the Gardaí in tackling the Kinahan Organised Crime Group. The reports of further sanctions from the US recently demonstrate the tremendous value and power of international co-operation in tackling organised crime.

The cooperation on this investigation has been ongoing for four years or more, but the actions taken in recent weeks really show the degree to which the international criminal justice sector is focused on tackling the criminality associated with the Kinahan Organised Crime Group. We should not take for granted the huge achievement of the Gardaí in patiently and quietly harnessing this necessary coalition of support for their work to combat this criminal group.

The sanctions enforced internationally should send a very clear message to those involved in the gang, or associated with the gang; that your criminality will not go unnoticed or unpunished.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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182. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which official Government policy prevails to ensure the deployment of adequate number of gardaí in all areas throughout the country with particular reference to the need to impede crime, potential or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28209/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible policing throughout the country. 

The Deputy will be aware that, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of over €2 billion for 2022.  An Garda Síochána has a strong tradition of community engagement and visible policing, and this funding demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources required to build on this high level of engagement and to ensure our communities are safe. 

In this regard, I was pleased to attend the Garda College in Templemore on 19 May, where 101 new Garda members passed-out. These new members have now completed their training and will be assigned to Garda Divisions throughout the country. A further attestation will take place at the College on 8 July.

As the Deputy may be aware, a Garda recruitment competition recently closed and I was pleased to see the strong interest evident in the over 11,000 applications which were received. It is vital that everyone in our society sees members of their own communities serving in An Garda Síochána and I particularly welcome that 40% of applicants were women and that there is a notable increase in numbers applying from minority backgrounds including Travellers and people from our new Irish communities.  Successful candidates from this competition will begin entering the Garda college later this year, and the new panel will provide the capacity for continued recruitment into next year.

In addition, and as a result of the increasing levels of recruitment of Garda staff to the organisation, over 800 Garda members to date have also been reassigned to frontline policing duties in recent years, where their expertise and training can be best utilised to provide visible policing to our communities.  

Very significant capital investment is being made in An Garda Síochána, including the provision for a capital budget of €147 million for An Garda Síochána’s ICT and Building Programme and ongoing investment in the organisation’s transport fleet. 

Budget 2022 provides €12m for investment in the Garda fleet, which means more high-visibility policing in our towns and cities. This continuing investment is intended to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet and that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime. 

An Garda Síochána continues to implement high visibility policing plans to address public disorder related issues and anti-social behaviour, with particular overt and targeted policing of public places at times when public order incidents and anti-social behaviour typically increase, such as bank holiday weekends. 

The Deputy will appreciate that, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of issues faced by An Garda Síochána is changing. For example, the increase in fraud offences shows that policing does not only take place on the streets, it must also put a focus on cyber-related crimes.

Finally, and of great benefit to the delivery of modern policing services in the community, the Garda Commissioner is in the course of introducing the new Garda Operating Model which, in line with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, is designed to make changes to the structures of An Garda Síochána to provide for more frontline Gardaí, increased Garda visibility, and a wider range of policing services for people in their local area.