Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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175. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures An Garda Síochána are taking to curb aggravated burglary and vehicle theft in residential premises in Dublin mid-west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17712/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff. The Government will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe.

I am advised that An Garda Síochána has had considerable success in reducing the prevalence of burglary through Operation Thor, which focuses on the prevention of burglaries and associated crimes, throughout Ireland, using strategies which are adapted for both rural and urban settings.

Operation Thor actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends. Under Operation Thor, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) co-ordinates and supports Divisional resources actively targeting organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends.

More than 20,000 arrests have been made under Operation Thor. There has been a 75% decrease in residential burglaries since the operation was established in 2015. The Winter Phase of Operation Thor launched in October 2024, with Garda divisions increasing checkpoints / patrols in burglary hot-spots and promoting awareness around property safety through Neighbourhood Watch and Community Alert. The Winter Phase ran until the end of March 2025 but the overall operation runs year-round.

I am further assured that An Garda Síochána actively addresses vehicle theft and the associated anti-social behaviour through ongoing frontline policing efforts. Targeted interdiction and high-visibility operations are conducted to combat the misuse of these vehicles, with the successes of many operations regularly shared on social media platforms.

Local operations targeting vehicle theft are supported by specialist Garda units, including Roads Policing, Crime Task Forces, and the Garda Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Unit, as needed. The Garda Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Unit continually monitors offenders for all crime types related to the unauthorised taking of vehicles. This Unit supports local Garda Divisions in the investigation of Motorbike Crime and identification of stolen vehicles nationally.