Garda's gangland crime crackdown to go nationwide
The Garda operation to tackle gangland crime is to be extended nationwide and increased by nearly a third, it emerged today.
The pre-budget estimates for the force also include funding for the expansion of the Garda Traffic Corps, the foundation of the Garda reserve force and the freeing up of 300 gardai from desk duties.
Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the Garda budget is to increase by 13% to €1.29bn.
He said the Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy had assured him that this level of resources would enable the force to carry out targeted intelligence-driven and high intensity-operations against organised crime.
Operation Anvil was set up on a temporary basis to target gangland crime in Dublin but under Mr McDowell’s 14-point policing plan, is to be extended indefinitely and rolled out across the country.
The operation requires large amounts of Garda overtime and the overtime budget for next year will increase by 27% to €83.5m.
Around €5m of the overtime budget will be used for Operation Encounter, the garda crackdown on anti-social behaviour in busy areas.
The Department of Justice is allocating one million euro to finance the recruitment of 900 members for the new Garda Voluntary Reserve. It is intended to provide back-up support for the Gardai and retired members of the force will be given priority in the recruitment campaign.
A fleet of high-powered cars will be purchased for the Garda Traffic Corps with a €3.8m allocation. The head of the Corps, Assistant Commissioner Eddie Rock, is planning to use the fleet of unmarked cars to crack down on dangerous driving.
The Traffic Corps will also be given another three million euro for road traffic equipment such as speed cameras.
Mr McDowell said the re-assignment of staff from the Department of Agriculture to the Garda National Quality Bureau would free up 300 gardai from desk duties. The bureau, which is based in Castlebar, oversees quality standards in the force.
The budget for the Garda Complaints Board has been cut by 55% to €1.6m but this is due to the establishment of the Garda Ombudsman Commission and the Garda Inspectorate. They will be given €11.9m in funding.
The prisons budget will remain at around €380m, although an extra €1.5m will be provided for juvenile offenders schemes.
