Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act facilitates the use as evidence in trials of material gained by secret surveillance. The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act provides for trying certain crimes involving criminal gangs in the Special Criminal Court unless the Director of Public Prosecutions directs otherwise. It introduces several new organised crime offences with maximum prison sentences of 15 years to life, such as involvement in organised crime and directing or controlling a criminal organisation. It simplifies the procedures relating to extension of time for questioning of suspects and increases the penalties for intimidation of a witness or a juror. The Minister is publishing a DNA Bill today, which also will prove invaluable in the fight against serious crime. Legislation on the use of knives and similar weapons is extremely robust and heavy penalties are already in place. Last year, the Minister piloted through the Oireachtas the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, which introduced a maximum penalty for possessing a knife in a public place from one to five years and gave the Garda extended power of search without warrant in respect of knives and offensive weapons. Quite apart from the legislative response, the Garda has the resources available to it when dealing with this serious issue.

I acknowledge to the Deputy that this is an issue about which there is universal concern throughout our society and not only, as he will be acutely aware because of recent activities, in his own constituency. I assure him that everything possible can and will be done to bring those who have been involved in such heinous murders to justice.

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