Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

Did I hear just one reference to justice and equality with regard to the Cabinet committees? Is the Taoiseach saying there is no Cabinet committee on justice and, if there is, it certainly has not met this year? I put forward this question approximately three months ago following the horrific, alleged gangland killing of two young men whose bodies were discovered in County Louth and the ongoing disaster of gangland killings and the death, for example, of Melanie McCarthy-McNamara and others. Is this situation of concern to the Taoiseach? There has also been an explosion in other areas of crime, such as burglaries. As the Taoiseach is aware, from my colleague Deputy Conaghan, there is between a 4% and 8% chance of being caught for a burglary or from a 92% to 96% chance of getting away with it. Is the Taoiseach concerned about this?

I accept the Minister for Justice and Equality has brought forward some useful and good legislation and has had some good consultation with the public on a number of criminal areas. However, is he up to getting to grips with the serious matter of crime in this country?

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