18. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if there are adequate legislative measures to deal with the scourge of drugs, with particular need to counteract effectively the activities of large-scale drug dealers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17828/24]

Helen McEntee, Minister for Justice: I want to assure the Deputy that I am conscious of, and hugely committed to, tackling the devastating impact that illegal drugs have on communities across the country. My Department is steadfast in working in many ways to address the harms caused to families and communities by the activities of transnational organised crime groups and, as part of this, all the laws and powers available to An Garda Síochána are kept under close review.

Tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity, including by such groups but also by individuals who, through their own drug taking, fuel this illegal and very harmful trade is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government. During my time in office I have taken a number of key measures, including:

• Increased the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison to target the people directing drug related crime;
• Introduced new legislation to criminalise the exploitation and grooming of children into a life of crime;
• Supported the development and roll-out of Greentown, an internationally recognised programme which is designed to break the link between organised crime groups and the children they try to recruit.

The Deputy will be aware that An Garda Síochána have successfully partnered with multiple international police services to target transnational criminal groups and my Department is currently engaged in negotiations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in relation to extradition and mutual legal assistance processes. It is important that criminals see there can be no hiding place from the law, and that the State will do everything in its power to bring those who spread misery in our communities to justice.

The Criminal Assets Bureau continues to successfully target the assets, wherever situated, of persons which derive or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised crime in Ireland, disrupting the activities of criminal gangs through the removal of their ill-gotten gains and has been recognised as a world leader in asset investigations, tracing and forfeiture.

Earlier this year, I also announced plans to introduce legislation to significantly strengthen CAB’s seizure powers. The Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2024 will also speed up the process to dispose of the asset for the benefit of the State and the communities devastated by drug use which I am supporting through the Community Safety Innovation Fund.

I have also ensured that An Garda Síochána continue to be effectively resourced with record budgets allocated in recent years which have enabled the Garda Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime. These include the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). Between 2019 and 2022, over €160m in drugs were seized by the Gardaí and these seizures continue to grow throughout 2023 and to date this year.

In February, Gardaí along with Revenue Officers seized 546kg of a synthetic drug, with an estimated value of €32.8 million, in Cork Port. The detention of the MV Matthew in Cork last year, which saw the seizure of approximately €157 million worth of drugs is a further example. These seizures, and many smaller ones that do not make the headlines, demonstrates the excellent work of Gardaí and their partner agencies at disrupting the supply of drugs into the country.

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Dáil Éireann debate. Question 22 – Drug dealing [17829/24]

22. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the additional measures, if any, she will introduce to deal with the scourge of illegal drugs throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17829/24]

Helen McEntee, Minister for Justice: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to tackle drug dealing and associated criminal behaviour, including by organised crime groups.

The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda Síochána demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring An Garda Síochána has provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out its vital policing work. This funding has enabled the Garda Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime.

These include the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). Between 2019 and 2022, over €160m in drugs have been seized by the Gardaí.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau leads in tackling all forms of drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs in Ireland. Collaboration at an inter-agency and international level remain key in tackling this issue. Given the global nature of the drugs trade, international law enforcement co-operation remains a key element in the overall response.

An Garda Síochána has strong and strategic partnerships in place at international level targeting drug trafficking, including working closely with relevant law enforcement agencies such as INTERPOL and Europol and participating in the Maritime Analysis Operations Centre for Narcotics (MAOC-N) based in Lisbon.

An example of the success of this cooperation in February, when Gardaí along with Revenue Officers seized 546kg of a synthetic drug, with an estimated value of €32.8 million, in Cork Port. The detention of the MV Matthew in Cork last year, which saw the seizure of approximately €157 million worth of drugs is a further example. These seizures, and many smaller ones that do not make the headlines, demonstrates the excellent work of Gardaí and their partner agencies at disrupting the supply of drugs into the country.

At a local level, An Garda Síochána continues to target those involved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs through Operation Tara. Recent successes of Operation Tara include the seizure of cannabis plants and cannabis herb with an estimated value of €700,000 in County Roscommon on 9 April. On 10 April, also in County Roscommon, €180,000 worth of suspected cannabis plants were seized during a search operation in Fairymount, County Roscommon.

The Government is committed to limiting access to illegal drugs to the greatest extent possible and are committed to taking a number of direct actions to tackle this, including by:

• Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison to tackle those who direct gangland and drug related crime
• Introducing new legislation which will criminalise the grooming of children into a life of crime
• Supporting the roll-out of Greentown, a pilot programme which is seeking to break the link between the gangs and the children they try to recruit

Earlier this year, I also announced plans to introduce legislation to further strengthen the State’s ability to seize criminal assets. The Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2024 will make significant changes to the Proceeds of Crime Act to strengthen the ability of the Criminal Assets Bureau to target the proceeds of crime and will speed up the process to dispose of the asset for the benefit of the State

The Criminal Assets Bureau continues to target the assets, wherever situated, of persons which derive or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised crime in Ireland, disrupting the activities of criminal gangs through the removal of their ill-gotten gains and has been recognised as a world leader in asset investigations, tracing and forfeiture.

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Dáil Éireann debate. Question 24 – An Garda Siochana [17776/24]

24. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which she continues to provide adequate resources to enable An Garda Síochána to adequately police organised crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17776/24]

Helen McEntee, Minister for Justice: Tackling serious and organised crime is a key priority for me as Minister for Justice and I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe.

This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion in Budget 2024. The record budgetary resources allocated to An Garda Síochána in recent years have enabled the Garda Commissioner to assign extra resources to the specialist units involved in tackling organised crime, including the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). Since 2015, over €345m in drugs have been seized by the Gardaí.

An Garda Síochána remains resolute in its determination to act against those engaged in organised crime. Cooperation with international law enforcement agencies remains a key element of the Garda response in view of the global nature of organised crime and the drugs trade, with Gardaí working closely with relevant law enforcement agencies such as INTERPOL and Europol to target drug trafficking.

Tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity, including by organised crime groups and by members of the public who, through their drug-taking fuel this illegal and very harmful trade, is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government.

An Garda Síochána continues to target those involved in street-level drug dealing across the country and also focuses on disrupting and dismantling the drug trafficking networks that impact on our communities and prosecuting those involved at every level through Operation Tara.

Last December, I received Government approval to open extradition and mutual legal assistance negotiations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is important that criminals see there can be no hiding place from the law, and that the State will do everything in its power to bring those who spread misery in our communities to justice.

The Government is committed to taking a number of direct actions to tackle organised criminal groups, including by:

• Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison to tackle those who direct organised and drug related crime;
• New legislation has been introduced which criminalises the grooming of children into a life of crime;
• Supporting the roll-out of Greentown, a pilot programme which is seeking to break the link between the gangs and the children they try to recruit.