By Cate McCurry, PA
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has praised gardaí for their work in cracking down on gangland crime in Ireland.
Mr Martin said gardaí have been “relentless” in their bid to tackle gangs and those at the top of the criminal world.
“First of all I think the gardai have been extremely effective in cracking down on gangland crime,” the Fianna Fáil leader said.
“The gardaí has been relentless, and the resources will continue to be provided to the gardaí to crack down on the gangland crime.
“I would be fully confident in the capacity of the State and An Garda Síochána and other agencies of the State, like CAB (Criminal Assets Bureau), to keep the pressure on and to say to people, there’s no life worthwhile in the criminal world.
“We need to encourage younger people who might be lured or intimidated to think otherwise, but essentially we are very clear in terms of the State response to this.”
He made the comments as Gerard Hutch arrived back to Ireland to face charges connected to the gun attack at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in 2016.
Mr Hutch, who is known as ‘The Monk’, was flown from Madrid on Wednesday afternoon on a military aircraft with a garda escort.
The 58-year-old was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant issued in relation to the attack in north Dublin, in which Kinahan gang member David Byrne was shot dead.
Garda members were at the scene when Hutch was arrested inside a restaurant in Fuengirola, a town on the Costa del Sol.
The Taoiseach was speaking ahead of a scheduled appearance by Hutch before the Special Criminal court on Wednesday evening.
Mr Martin said that the security of the extradition process and the return of Hutch would be very secure.
“I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of any trials that may take place but I think it’s important that the extradition process illustrates a very close co-operation on European level between all member States in terms of ensuring that the wheels of justice move and do so in a seamless and flawless way,” Mr Martin added.
“I think that’s something to be noted in terms of what’s happening today.
“I’m not going to interfere in terms of the judicial process, there’s a separation of powers.
“But what’s important is that we worked on a European-wide situation, and that we work collaboratively as member States to make sure that those who need to go before courts, who need to answer and who have to go to trial, that that happens and that co-operation is evident and it has been in this case.”
