Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The programme for Government contains a large number of proposals the Government would implement to deal with drugs, organised crime, sentencing policy and court procedure. For example, in the drugs areas it would increase search powers for the Garda and had nine different proposals for organised crime. Another example of a practical proposal on drugs states the Government would "require all mobile phones to be registered with name, address and proof of identity in order to stop drug-pushers using untraceable, unregistered phones". We know for every kind of serious criminality, pay-as-you-go mobile telephones are used for a day and then thrown away to thwart the police.

Why is the Minister not dealing with these and the other 27 proposals, none of which has yet been implemented? For example, another proposal states the Government will "introduce means to ensure that criminal trials can no longer be collapsed because of legal technicalities. This will include legislation...". When all is said and done after the meetings between the Taoiseach, the Garda Commissioner and all the rest, what practical changes and legislation does the Minister propose to make after the tragic murder of Shane Geoghegan in Limerick? Will he accept the Labour Party Bill on covert surveillance? His statement was not clear as to whether he is introducing such legislation. If he is, when will he do so?

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