Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

This low tax Government will tax us from beyond the grave.

I want to raise the issue of an innocent young plumber's assistant who was murdered today in broad daylight. This case follows a situation when, four days ago, a post office worker was shot dead on the streets of Kilkenny during an armed robbery. Three weeks ago a young, separated mother was shot on her own doorstep. A few months ago Donna Cleary was shot at a party. This year there have been 23 gun murders — there were many other murders — the highest number in the history of the State. Fianna Fáil made such a row and many of us remember Deputy John O'Donoghue in 1998 when in the first year of the Government of the two parties opposite there were four gun murders. Since January 1998, there have been 120 gun murders, 30% of which saw proceedings commenced and 15.8% a conviction. That is the record.

I remind the House of the pledge made by the Taoiseach in 1997 when he said he would make the fight against crime his priority in the new Fianna Fáil Government. He put the Fianna Fáil message in five simple words to the drugs barons and criminal gangs: we will not accept this, he said, they would no longer be allowed hold sway over our communities. They would not live in luxury with impunity because Fianna Fáil had a plan for them: to arrest them, prosecute them and put them out of business.

Compare that with the reality now. We have a Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who will advise on any aspect of human affairs at the drop of a hat but this is the reality in his portfolio. What was his reaction last Sunday? He blamed the judges. He said the Judiciary is to blame because it will not implement his mandatory sentencing. He blames whoever is near at the time.

Does the Taoiseach acknowledge that drugs are driving this crime wave? Does the Taoiseach acknowledge there is a crisis in policing and crime? If he does not accept that, how many more killings must there be for the Government to acknowledge there is a crisis and to put the relevant measures in place?

See this speech in context