· Minister meets with Garda Commissioner and senior officers to discuss
recent high-profile murders in Dublin City
· “This violent feud is unprecedented in its audacity. The gangs show
no regard for public safety.” – Fitzgerald
· Initial €5 million in additional resources to support An Garda
Síochána to tackle criminal gangs
Frances Fitzgerald, Minister for Justice & Equality, has today announced a
package of additional measures to tackle gangland crime.
Additional resources will be ring-fenced to allow Gardai to sustain and
intensify saturation policing in Dublin City, including multiple rolling
checkpoints and patrols.
A dedicated new Armed Support Unit for Dublin will also be established,
comprising 55 Gardai. This new Unit will operate in addition to the ERU.
The new unit will build on interim armed response measures currently being
rolled-out by the ERU and other units.
This package of measures will be supported by an initial allocation of an
additional dedicated €5 million.
The Minister this morning met with the Garda Commissioner and senior
officers to discuss the Garda response to two recent high-profile murders
in Dublin City.
At today’s meeting the Minister was briefed by the Commissioner on An Garda
Siochána’s assessment of the current situation and their comprehensive and
resource-intensive operational response, involving an investigative strand,
a preventative strand and a targeted intelligence strand. The Minister was
assured that An Garda Siochána are deploying all capabilities and resources
at their disposal in terms of tackling organised crime and delivering a
whole-of-organisation operational response.
The Minister stated: “This violent feud is unprecedented in its audacity.
The gangs show no regard for public safety. The events we have seen are
outrageous. They are unacceptable.”
“An Garda Siochána has the fullest support of the Government and I. Any and
all resources will be provided.
“We will sustain and intensify saturation policing in Dublin City,
including multiple rolling checkpoints and patrols.”
“We will establish a dedicated new Armed Support Unit for Dublin, in
addition to the ERU.”
The Minister condemned last night’s murder. She stated: “I deplore the evil
and sinister cycle of gangland violence that has erupted in our Capital.
But we will not let this cycle of violence distract us from what we must do
and have been doing in seeking to disrupt gangland crime.”
The Minister noted that An Garda Siochána have had many successes when it
comes to gangland crime. The Minister stated: “Gangland murders have
fallen from 17 in 2010 to 3 last year. Murder overall is down 47%.”
“I wish to acknowledge the dedicated, pain-staking and effective work of An
Garda Síochána in tackling serious crime.”
Commenting on recent events, the Minister stated: “We are dealing with
ruthless criminal gangs who are hell bent on violence and revenge. The
nature of the challenge is not to be underestimated. We will not let these
gangs reverse the tide when it comes to gangland crime.
“We will support An Garda Siochána to end this feud; just like we supported
An Garda Siochána to tackle burglaries by way of Operation Thor. We made
resources available for Operation Thor. We will make the resources
available to tackle these gangs.”
Minister Fitzgerald added: “An Garda Siochána has a long and distinguished
record in fighting drugs and organised crime. Commissioner O’Sullivan has
identified what is needed to respond to emerging threats and disrupt
gangland crime.”
The Minister concluded: “This Government has reopened the Garda College.
We have ended the moratorium on Garda recruitment. We have increased
investment in Garda vehicles. We have appointed judges to establish a
second Special Criminal Court which will be up and running on 4th April. We
will not be deflected in setting up this court or maintaining the existing
Special Criminal Court. We will vigorously oppose all efforts to abolish
the Special Criminal Court and to repeal the Offences Against the State
Act.”