Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I join my colleagues in thanking Deputy Charles Flanagan for bringing this timely motion to the House. I agree with Deputy Noonan that we must go back to first principles. When I listen to debates in this Chamber on gangland and other violent crime, particularly drug-related crime, they always call to mind the then Fianna Fáil Opposition spokesman on justice, Deputy O'Donoghue, between 1994 and 1997 and his catch cry of "zero tolerance". His consistent haranguing of the then Government over that period played no small part in Fianna Fáil's election victory in 1997.

Any objective analysis, however, of the Government's commitment to and ability to deal with crime since that time points to failure. Gangland crime has increased substantially, becoming more dangerous and vicious and impacting more lives than it did ten or 15 years ago. In 2009 there were 20 gun murders in the State and eight since the beginning of 2010, one quarter of which occurred in my constituency. There is almost a sense that both the public and the political system have washed their hands of the situation, a view that just as these gangs interact with each other and trade in drugs with each other, we should let them get on with ultimately killing each other. This view, however, fails to take account of the innocent bystanders affected by gangland crime, several of whom have been named in the course of this debate. One such innocent person has died in my constituency since the beginning of the year. Whatever about the criminals and murderers, we have a duty and responsibility as the State Legislature to protect those who are embroiled in this violence through no fault of their own. The Minister and his colleagues have the same duty as the Executive to ensure these people are protected.

What we have seen, however, is an abdication of duty on the part of the Government. That no convictions were secured in 2007, 2008 and 2009 for gun murders points not to a policy of zero tolerance but to a zero success rate. The Government, for a series of reasons, is losing miserably in the war against gangland crime. Deputy Noonan referred to the natural instinct of Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform simply to legislate in response to high-profile murders or incidents about which there is great public and media fuss. However, legislation is futile and worthless without enforcement. We have seen through the many Bills that were brought through this House during the lifetime of the last Government — we saw again with the recent legislation, which Fine Gael supported — that legislation does not necessarily lead to convictions. Without enforcement, all those legislative provisions come to nil. The other problem is the Government's apparent policy of not replacing gardaí. In spite of the 2002 promise to recruit an additional 2,000 gardaí, retiring members of the force are not being replaced.

It is time to go a step further. We must not only introduce legislation but enforce it. I wholeheartedly support Fine Gael's proposal for a 25-year minimum life sentence for perpetrators of these crimes. If it is to be ignored by the Judiciary, however, any such measure is pointless. Likewise, any legislative measure is pointless if it does not result in convictions. I hope the Government will bring into play measures that will strengthen the hand of the Garda Síochána in tackling gangland crime.

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