150% rise in Garda surveillance of criminal gangs

There has been a 150% jump in the use of covert surveillance by gardaí on gangs and dissident republicans in the last year.

The massive garda response to the Kinahan-Hutch feud is believed to be a factor in the increase in undercover activities.

There was a total of 129 surveillance operations between August 2015 and July 2016, compared to 51 in the previous 12 months.