Dáil debates

Friday, 23 March 2007

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed)

 

4:00 pm

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Three years ago, during a debate in Blanchardstown, I pleaded with him, to the applause of a large audience invited by the Minister and the Garda Commissioner, to return community gardaí to the beat to gather vital intelligence. According to the Central Statistics Office, in 2006 the conviction rate — as opposed to prosecution rate — for the most serious crimes, ranging from murder to arson, was zero in the Dublin metropolitan west region, which includes Blanchardstown. In most jurisdictions where good community policing intelligence is available, convictions for serious crimes are secured much faster than here. People will be aware, for example, that in the North suspects are frequently arrested soon after a murder, whereas in many cases arrests or prosecutions may take two years here. While the Garda may argue that prosecutions will eventually be secured, this sends out the wrong message to law abiding people who support the Garda and recognise the good the force does.

When the perpetrators of murder or rape, who may be known in a small community, can walk around free it sends out a message that they are immune and they will swagger around because they will not be caught. This is the class issue the Minister has failed to grasp. Obviously, he is more familiar with the leafy suburbs of Ranelagh where these types of problems are not as acute. He and his predecessor, Deputy O'Donoghue, did not get it.

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