Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

Perhaps more than any other topic, this subject is a feature of questions to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. During the rushed passage through the Dáil last year of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act and the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act containing the anti-gangland measures, the Minister promised action. Regrettably however, as the Minister has admitted and accepted today, not a single person has been convicted by the criminal courts or by the non-jury courts because not a single case has been taken since last year. Whenever a gangland murder takes place, as it invariably does at weekends, the Minister's response is that he will meet the Garda Commissioner. The Minister should outline to the House, in so far as possible, what consequences arise from such meetings. Last year's response was legislation, which clearly has not worked because legislation of itself will not be sufficient. While the aforementioned legislation was going through the House, the Minister was warned that legislation of itself would not be sufficient to deal with this problem. How does he intend to deal with the regular occurrence of gangland cold-blooded gun murders in this city, eight of which already have taken place this year?

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