Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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306. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which she and her Department are currently combatting organised crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52657/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that tackling organised criminal activity is an overriding priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government.

I wish to acknowledge the superb and painstaking work of the Gardaí in harnessing an international coalition of supporting bodies to tackle the criminality associated with a particular high-profile Organised Crime Group who operate transnationally. The enforcement of sanctions demonstrates the tremendous value and power of international co-operation in tackling organised crime and the actions taken recently send a very clear message to those involved in the group, or associated with the group, that criminality will not go unnoticed or unpunished.

While we should not underestimate the difficulties which the Garda authorities face in tackling organised crime, we continue to see the significant results of their efforts in the arrests made and people being brought before the Courts. This is evident both here and in other jurisdictions, as indeed are the ongoing drugs and firearms seizures made.

An Garda Síochána tackles organised criminal activity through a range of targeted measures designed to disrupt and dismantle the operations of criminal organisations. To the greatest extent possible, these measures include the use of advanced analytical and intelligence methodologies.

The additional resources allocated to An Garda Síochána in recent years have enabled the Garda Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime, including the Armed Support Unit, Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

An Garda Síochána uses multi-disciplinary approaches to ensure the activities of individuals and groups involved in criminal enterprise are effectively targeted. Such approaches include the use of money-laundering legislation and the powers available to CAB under the proceeds of crime legislation.

Other measures taken to tackle organised crime include the strengthening of legislation where required, the establishment of a second Special Criminal Court in 2016, and the establishment of Garda Armed Response Units in all Garda regions which are available to support all divisions countrywide.

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. I am advised by the Garda authorities that in 2021, the GNDOCB seized almost €64 million worth of illicit drugs and around €6 million in cash. This represents a significant increase from 2019 when there were over €21 million worth of illicit drugs and over €2.5m in cash seized.

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) conducted a search operation in Counties Donegal, Limerick and Cork on Friday 14 October 2022 targeting a Limerick based Organised Crime Group (OCG). The operation was conducted by Bureau Officers, supported by the Southern Regional Armed Response Unit and Gardaí from Donegal and Limerick. The search operation marks a significant development in the overall CAB proceeds of crime investigation which will target assets including properties linked to this OCG. In addition, the CAB were successful in a recent application to the Courts to have a property effectively owned by a prominent OCG recognised as being the proceeds of crime.

I am also progressing the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill shortly, which will increase the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from ten years to life in prison. These new laws will ensure that An Garda Síochána and our Courts have the tools they need to take firm and decisive action to deal with our most serious criminals.

Justice Plan 2022 commits to working to break the link between gangs and the children they seek to recruit. In 2022, we will also progress draft legislation to outlaw the grooming of children into a life of crime. In parallel, we will continue to roll out the community intervention programme “Greentown” which seeks to break the link between children who are engaged or at risk of engaging with a criminal gang.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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307. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which the leaders of criminal gangs are currently in prison or have charges pending against them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52660/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that there are currently 122 prisoners in custody associated with known criminal gangs, of which 17 would be categorised as leaders. These figures excludes the subversive prisoners in Portlaoise Prison.

I can further advise the Deputy that in respect of the 17 leaders there are currently 5 further court dates pending.

In relation to the information sought by the Deputy in respect of the number of criminal gang leaders who have charges pending against them, it is important to state that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is responsible for the prosecution of crime in Ireland.

Criminal investigations are carried out by An Garda Síochána, who then submit a report to the DPP. It is for the DPP to decide whether or not someone should be prosecuted and for what crime, on the basis of the Garda findings, viewed against the background of common and/or statute law. The Director is fully independent in the performance of her functions.

Membership or allegiance of criminal groups fluctuates on a continuous basis with some persons breaking links and others becoming affiliated on a daily basis. It is also the case that prisoners will not always declare their affiliation to certain groupings and it is therefore not possible to provide definitive numbers in relation to the number of known members of criminal groupings currently in custody. It should also be noted that more than one criminal gang may group together under the umbrella of a particular group and in some instances some gangs may form splinter groups due to family or in house disputes.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a number of prisons have introduced specialist programmes, including a gang desistance group which incorporates collaboration with men with a history of gang involvement in the development and facilitation of the programme. A full range of policies, procedures and standard operating procedures are used by the IPS to identify, monitor and manage specific individuals. Management and staff have to ensure that the various factions are kept apart and, as far as possible, that gang members do not have influence over other inmates or criminal activities outside the prisons.

Measures taken on a continuous basis include regular targeted searching; placement in high security locations; close supervision of all visits, including the use of screened visits and the barring of certain visitors; the use of CCTV, metal detectors and mobile phone detectors; and the examination and monitoring of mail and telephone calls. The Operational Support Group has a core function to gather and collate intelligence information on criminal gang members in our prisons and to carry out intelligence led searches.

In addition, there is regular contact between the IPS and An Garda Síochána to discuss security issues including the operation of criminal gangs and the release of prisoners who form part of these groupings.