Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has instructed Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy to make tackling organised crime and drug-dealing the priorities for An Garda Síochána next year. Conor Lally reports.
Following a doubling of gangland-style murders to 20 cases in 2005 Mr McDowell wants to see more specialist operations next year such as Operation Anvil, which was established across Dublin in May to tackle armed gangs.
In his policing priorities published at the Garda Training College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, Mr McDowell said the priority should be organised crime and drugs "with particular reference to bringing the gun culture associated with it under control".
The Minister also wants specialist Garda units such as the National Drugs Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau to the fore in this regard.
He has made it clear in his policing priorities that he sees Cab as taking a central role next year in the second priority for the force, that of tackling terrorism.
Mr McDowell has told Mr Conroy that he wants to see gardaí placing "continued emphasis on combating paramilitary activities".
Specific attention will be paid to dissident republicans and to "the seizure of assets of all unlawful organisations".
Already Cab is at an advanced stage in its efforts to seize the assets of up to 10 prominent republican paramilitary figures. Most of these cases are expected to come before the courts in the Republic next year.
The enforcement of road-traffic legislation has also been identified as a priority in an effort to reduce road deaths, which are set to climb past 400 this year compared with 374 last year.
This would be assisted by an increase in personnel in the new Garda Traffic Corps next year.
Speaking in Templemore at the opening of a new €16 million administration block, Mr McDowell said the head of the Garda Traffic Corps Assistant Commissioner Eddie Rock had already set out clear plans for every Garda division, and he expected a marked improvement in road safety next year.
"Next will see a very significant increase in the size of the Garda Traffic Corps and the fixed-penalty points system coming into operation. Next year should see legislation to enable outsourcing of speed cameras and the like going through the Dáil and any necessary changes in drink-driving law," he said.
The speedy 11-month construction of the new administration block at Templemore was a clear demonstration of the Government's commitment to increasing the size of the Garda by 2,000 members to 14,000 by 2008, the Minister said.
The usual numbers of recruits being taken into training more than doubled this year to 1,125, from 520 in recent years. This had resulted in a current Garda force, including recruits, of 14,000.
Next year more than 1,200 recruits would pass through the Garda College. These greatly increased numbers had been made possible by a budget allocation by Minister for Finance Brian Cowen of €1.3 billion for next year.
Mr McDowell said those who had doubted the commitment to increase the size of the force and improve and expand facilities had been proved wrong.
• Headline or serious crime fell by 4% last year to 98,964 recorded cases.
• Non-headline offences fell by 3.5% to 282,065 recorded cases.
• Some 37 murders were committed, of which 30 were detected. This compared with 30 murders in 2003.
• Rapes increased by 21% to 446 cases. Sexual assaults fell by 30% to 1,021 cases.
• Value of property stolen reached 78.2 million, of which €5.7 million was recovered. This compared with €73.3 million stolen in 2003, of which €4.3 million was recovered.