merrion street

The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., today joined the Garda Commissioner to launch a new Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU) for the Dublin area.

The Tánaiste paid tribute to the determined response which Gardaí have made to the scourge of criminal gangs, saying – “The actions of An Garda Síochána in fearlessly opposing vicious criminal elements is a true example of service and commitment to the communities which they serve”

“There are not many of us who would willingly confront the callous individuals who orchestrate the activities of criminal gangs, but members of An Garda Síochána do so on a daily basis, and at great personal risk."

Plans for the ASU were announced in the wake of the vicious series of gang-related murders. In the aftermath of the feud between criminal gangs, Gardaí deployed emergency resources to help stem the violence and protect the communities most at risk.

The Tánaiste has also introduced a raft of new measures which are already in place to counter organised crime, including new laws to target the proceeds of crime, and significant extra resources for An Garda Siochána.