Justice minister defends government’s response to drug-related intimidation

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

The Minister for Justice has defended the government’s record on tackling drug-related intimidation after an opposition TD said only 4 per cent of incidents have been prosecuted.

Operation Fógra was launched in 2021 to combat intimidation by drug gangs and dealers.

Addressing a justice committee on Tuesday, Jim O’Callaghan said, “it has been responsible for an increasing number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions for offences related to drug-related intimidation and violence”.

In response, Gary Gannon said since it was launched there has been a 37 per cent increase in drug-related intimidation.

The Progressive Democrats spokesman on justice said of 2,500 incidents only 4 per cent had been prosecuted.

Mr O’Callaghan said he still viewed the operation as successful adding: “I know from speaking to the commissioner and senior gardaí they take it extremely seriously and people have been prosecuted.”

He also said the “prosecution rates are increasing”, to which Mr Gannon countered “so are the arson attacks”.

He said there had been 13 arson attacks in 2022 and “it’s 50 this year”.

Mr Gannon also criticised the budget for the government’s Drug Related Intimidation & Violence Engagement (Drive) project.

He said it had been allocated only €280,000 in 2026 and 2025 and said: “I’m a big believer in ‘show me your budgets, and I’ll show you your priorities’.”

That figure is “suitable in terms of a new project that’s starting up”, Mr O’Callaghan said.

He continued “we need to publicise it more” and that would be a responsibility for him and “all deputies”.

Along with the Drive project and Operation Fógra, Mr O’Callaghan highlighted the Community Safety Fund and youth diversion programmes as key to tackling drug-related intimidation.

He described it as a “sinister form of criminality” that “requires a multifaceted response, which both supports victims and ensures real enforcement targeting the people carrying out these crimes”.

The Community Safety Fund is an annual grant fund, which allows the proceeds of crime seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and An Garda Síochána, to be directed back into responses to community safety issues.

Mr O’Callaghan said youth diversion projects are “now available nationally to every child who may need to avail of them” describing them as offering a “responsive, empathetic road towards a better life”.