Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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31. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the adequacy of legislative measures to deal with the scourge of drugs and associated criminality throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38126/24]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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216. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which measures to combat drug dealing continue and are making progress; the progress made in the past two years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38458/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 216 together.

Tackling drug dealing and targeting the work of organised crime groups, who inflict intimidation and violence on families and communities, is a top priority for my Department.

Unprecedented funding has been provided to An Garda Síochána which has enabled the Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime.

The funding made available to An Garda Síochána has enabled the Commissioner to assign extra resources to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

The GNDOCB leads in tackling all forms of drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs in Ireland. Collaboration at an inter-agency and international level remain key in tackling this issue. Given the global nature of the drugs trade, international law enforcement co-operation is a critical element in the overall response.

Earlier this month An Garda Síochána played a pivotal role in dismantling a criminal communication platform in tandem with Europol, Eurojust and law enforcement authorities from around the world.

The communications platform was used for facilitating serious and organised crime perpetrated by dangerous criminal networks operating on a global scale. An international day of action resulted in a number of arrests and drug seizures worth seven million Euro.

An Garda Síochána continues to target those involved in street-level drug dealing across the country and also focuses on disrupting and dismantling the drug trafficking networks that impact on our communities and prosecuting those involved at every level through Operation Tara.

The Government is committed to limiting access to illegal drugs to the greatest extent possible and is committed to taking a number of direct actions to tackle this, including by:

• Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison to tackle those who direct gangland and drug related crime;
• Recently enacted new laws which criminalise the grooming of children into a life of crime;
• Rolling out a support programme to break the link between the gangs and the children they try to recruit.