The Government has allocated €5m to Operation Thor to fund additional patrols, checkpoints and rapid armed response units, as well as national and local awareness campaigns. The successor to Operation Fiacla, Thor is estimated to provide over 100,000 extra patrolling hours by gardaí in communities.

Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan said that the fear and opportunities for crime increases coming into darker winter months.

“Operation Thor will see a wide range of measures used to proactively target high-impact offenders and suspects, as well as initiatives where we will work with community-based groups to prevent burglaries and reduce the opportunities for crime,” said O’Sullivan. “We are going to have a relentless focus on identifying, targeting and disrupting criminals and bringing them to justice. We not only target offenders but also their assets.”

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Five-strand approach:

Working in partnership: Operation Thor expects to see the gardaí working alongside community-based organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch, Muintir na Tíre and Crimestoppers. The Commissioner also aims to enhance the work already being done by the IFA in tagging personal belongings.

Education and awareness: a national advertising campaign, “Lock Up, Light Up” will be run during the week of 16 November to inform people on how they can enhance security of their homes and property.

Victims support: victims will be provided with support and advice, and will be kept updated as their case progresses with the justice system.

Crime prevention: crime trend analysis will be used to identify burglary hot spots and extra high visibility patrols will then be put into those areas. Targeted crime prevention advice will be given to local communities and bail conditions of prolific offenders will be closely monitored.

Crime investigations and operations: this will see a range of activities including the targeting at national, regional and divisional level of organised crime gangs and prolific offenders; the use of high powered vehicles by the armed Regional Response Units; enhanced court surveillance; disrupting the stolen goods market; high visibility checkpoints and roads policing supported by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to limit the use of the road network by offenders.

Investments in Gardai

The timing of the announcement is questionable in the run up to a general election but Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, is positive that this Government has been proactive in the face of crime by reopening the Templemore training college. She reiterated all the recent investments made by the Government in An Garda Síochána including air surveillance, which will help with intelligence .

“You don’t come up with this sort of investment overnight. It started in the budget last year and continued this year,” said Minister Fitzgerald. “The investment in recruitment started some time ago. The reality is that as the economy improves we are now in a position to make this much needed investment. Undoubtedly, the impact of the recession meant that investment needed in Garda ICT was not made.”

Listen to Minsiter Fitzgerald in our podcast below:

However, in relation to the issue of rural Garda stations being closed down Commissioner O'Sullivan seemed more concerned about the visibility of Gardai on the ground.

"It's not about bricks and mortar," she said. "It's about making sure we have the people out there to engage with the community."

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