Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

The Labour Party has no problem in supporting strong criminal justice legislation that will protect the public and that will put such gangland criminals behind bars for as long as is necessary. However, bad law will not address this problem nor will rhetoric of the kind I have just heard from Deputy Finian McGrath. Effective legislation and policing, as well as honesty with the people, are what is required.

I am a representative for Limerick, which has been referred to many times in the course of this debate. I conduct a clinic once a week in each of the areas that frequently are referred to and in which many of these gangland criminals hold sway over innocent people in their own communities. I assure the Ceann Comhairle that I am willing to support any legislation that I consider will improve the situation in such communities and that will lock up anyone who is guilty in this regard. However, there is no point in fooling people that this legislation will somehow address this problem, as I do not believe it will. I believe this legislation could be effective if it is amended. In particular, I suggest that were amendment No. 6, tabled by my colleagues, Deputies Rabbitte and Sherlock, to be taken on board by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, it would put into statute the power of the Director of Public Prosecutions to refer cases in which there is real evidence that juries are likely to be intimidated to the Special Criminal Court. In that case, this legislation could be effective. However, it simply is not telling the truth to suggest this cannot already be done, as I understand it can. Putting it into statute by way of this amendment certainly would strengthen the present position.

Moreover, the Labour Party did not oppose this legislation on Second Stage because it believes it can be amended. However as it stands at present, asking the Oireachtas to declare that the ordinary courts are inadequate to secure the effective administration of justice and the preservation of public peace and order in respect of gangland offences is offering up this legislation to all kinds of litigation and to possible constitutional challenge. That is not doing a service to the people of my city, who want the issues that must be dealt with to be dealt with effectively. However, I reiterate that the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Bill constitutes genuine criminal justice legislation that the Garda has been seeking and which can be effective in this regard.

Having listened to Mr. Murray on the recent "The Week In Politics" television programme, I do not believe he gave a great endorsement to the comments of the Minister for Defence during his Second Stage contribution. Mr. Murray noted that the Minister, Deputy O'Dea, spends much time walking around the constituency, which he does. In that regard, he probably knows a lot about what is going on.

See this speech in context