Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Charlie Flanagan for bringing this Private Members' business to the House and for sharing time. It is somewhat poignant that the motion comes before the House when the city that somewhat unfairly seems to be getting all the attention, namely, Limerick, which is a wonderful city, is trying to celebrate its positive side with the opening of a new stadium and at least one spectator who was looking forward to seeing the All-Blacks here again after 30 years, Shane Geoghegan, will not be there. I was in Croke Park for the game on Sunday and the minute's silence started and ended with a round of applause that was touching for everybody who was there.

We must ask why gangland crime is beating the system. Gangland crime is motivated by profit and greed and is based on utter ruthlessness. The new breed of criminal does not have any moral conscience. Taking a life is no more than putting out a candle. The criminals will do anything to protect the huge profits they can make in their industry. In the meantime, the Garda Síochána, the security forces and the Prison Service is hamstrung by working groups, study groups, reports and restricted resources. Every day that goes by they are losing the fight with the criminals. A bumper sticker that was popular on cars a number of years ago stated, "Crime does not pay and neither does farming". I do not know about farming paying yet but crime certainly is paying.

We do not seem to be able to put in place measures to prevent crime paying. We have legislation, court resources, extra judges, as referred to in the amendment, but there are twice as many prisoners this year as last year out on temporary release. Neither the criminal justice system nor prison offers a deterrent to criminals. It is debatable whether there is even a risk to criminals in seeking the profit they can make from criminal activity.

I spoke to a friend who is a Garda sergeant in Arklow, County Wicklow, following the general election 18 months ago. He is the same age as me. He told me he was nearly 30 years in the force. He was measured for a stab vest six weeks previously but he said he could be retired before he gets it. That is the way we send out the security forces to defend themselves against people who are armed to the hilt and, as Deputy Flanagan said, who drive vehicles and live in houses that are fully protected, yet we give members of the Garda stab vests in 2007.

It is 11 years since the Ceann Comhairle got the justice portfolio and said he would introduce a regime of zero tolerance, a phrase for which Mayor Giuliani gets credit but it was Mayor Ed Koch who put the nuts and bolts of the system in place. One can walk down Fifth Avenue without feeling terrorised but it is questionable whether one can do the same thing on O'Connell Street in Dublin. My contention is that one cannot. Words are meaningless unless they are followed with action.

The Government amendment refers to deep concern at the increase in the number of licensed handguns. If an Olympian sharpshooter with a handgun came back from the Olympics with a gold medal the Taoiseach and every Minister would be on a platform to welcome him, saying it was a great sport and gave people an outlet that is safe and secure. We are muddying the waters by trying to blame legally held handguns for the current problems. There is no proven correlation between the number of licensed handguns with bona fide sporting organisations and the increase in gun crime. Let us tackle the illegal guns in the country.

See this speech in context