Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Criminal Justice Bill, a Bill the Government promised to introduce within its first 100 days in office. It has done that and aims to ensure the Bill is passed before the summer recess. Both sides of the House should work together to achieve this.

I intend to focus on the elements of the Bill that relate to white collar crime. The Minister said in his speech that there will be no impunity for those who engage in white collar crime. We must communicate this message to the people as it is a message they want to hear. People are fed up with the criminal justice system and see it as not fit for purpose when it comes to jailing criminal bankers and developers. They see an inequality of treatment between themselves and the bankers who have broken the law and ask why they should bear the brunt of austerity measures when rogue individuals face no consequences. I know this from e-mails I have received, from letters I have read and from people I have met on the doorsteps in my constituency. People ask why they are living in negative equity in unfinished developments while developers get off scot free and are not to be seen.

Approximately 500 people were imprisoned last year for not paying their TV licence, dog licence or parking fines. People have been brought to court for only being able to pay partial instalments of money they owe and families are being forced out of their homes because they have fallen on hard times, not of their own making. They see this happening against the backdrop of developers with huge debts fleeing these shores. They see them dragging out legal cases and see lengthy delays in bringing these people before the courts. They see billions of euro of taxpayers' money being sunk into banks time and again. These banks lent recklessly during the boom and created the hard times, but people see no justice when it comes to tackling bankers. They saw bankers being brought into Garda stations for a day and saw the Garda go into a bank two years ago, but have seen no further development with regard to charging those bankers. All the people see are their wage packets being reduced as a result of the actions of these bankers. They see no justice at all.

During the general election, I was asked on the doorsteps again and again what we were going to do about this. I was asked whether we would pursue the bankers or let them escape. We stated clearly that we would tackle the issue and would make sure justice was seen to be done. It is right that we strengthen our laws. The people need to believe in their justice system. They need to know that it does not matter who one knows, how much one earns or where one lives, but that if people break the law, they will be pursued.

I welcome this Bill as it gives adequate and further powers where required. I look forward to seeing the Bill being implemented.

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