Gardaí will soon have a new spy plane to keep an eye on gangland criminals.
The money for the new covert surveillance aircraft was secured by Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, in Tuesday’s budget.
Ms McEntee believes that our police force needs the best technology to keep tabs on modern criminals who have developed more sophisticated ways of avoiding arrest.
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Ms McEntee said: “I am also very pleased to allocate €7million in 2023 to begin the process of replacing the existing Garda fixed wing aircraft, which is now 26 years old.
“The Commissioner has identified this as an essential investment in surveillance capability to tackle organised crime and protect the security of the State.
“It is expected that the new aircraft will become operational in 2024.”
Irish criminal gangs, like the Kinahans, operate on an international basis and are becoming harder to track down.
Most modern police forces have specialised equipment like planes and drones for surveillance, so Ireland is matching the capabilities of other police forces.
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