Government 'half-hearted' in its tackling of gang crime
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Wednesday November 19 2008
THE Government's "hands-off approach" to gangland crime is "incredibly apathetic and half-hearted", according to the opposition.
And Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern is doing nothing to deal with the out-of-control problem except give "vague assurances", said Fine Gael's justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan.
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In response, the underfire Justice Minister Dermot Ahern revealed details of a crackdown.
Mr Ahern said the garda and other state agencies such as customs will soon start an extended programme of checkpoints to apply "relentless pressure on every front to gangs and their criminal enterprises".
But Mr Flanagan listed a number of areas where, he said, the criminal justice system falls short, including the failure to execute bench warrants and a lack of adequate resources and equipment. He also pointed to the extremely low conviction rate for gangland crimes, saying the Government's response has been "incredibly apathetic and half-hearted".
Speaking in the Dail, Mr Flanagan highlighted as significant that leading gang member Gerard Dundon handed himself in to gardai last week.
The Fine Gael TD questioned why Mr Dundon had not been taken into custody by gardai when there was a bench warrant out for his arrest. He said the criminal turned himself in because he was worried about his safety and wanted the "protection of the State".
Labour's Pat Rabbitte issued a call for reform of the garda.
Mr Rabbitte, the party's justice spokesman, said a qualified independent body should make appointments in the force to put an end to "party politics" in the garda promotion process.
He told the Dail the time has come "to end the practice whereby garda appointments above the rank of inspector are made directly by Government".
Mr Rabbitte insisted this decision alone would lead to more "genuine change" than any of the reforms to date.
He also questioned the garda's commitment to community policing.
- Cormac Murphy
