The legislation brought in to tackle criminal gangs has been renewed for another year.
The Minister for Justice told the Oireachtas Committee on Justice that the legislation was necessary because organised crime remained a serious problem for the State.
Dermot Ahern said that so far 69 people had been arrested under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Amendment Act.
He told the committee that eight had been charged and brought before the courts.
Two people were charged with directing a criminal organisation, the other six with participating in or contributing to a criminal gang.
The Minister said gardaí had told him that efforts were often made to intimidate jurors in trials of gang members by having someone sit in court staring at them.
Mr Ahern said juror intimidation in gang crimes was carried out on a regular basis.
He said that was why the Director of Public Prosecutions had been given the power to send gang crimes to the non-jury Special Criminal Court.
