Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much support the Bill. The Minister for Justice and Equality is well aware of my views. I have spoken previously in the House on this matter. We must be hard on crime. One issue affecting Limerick city and the east Limerick area is the increase in burglaries and that must be acknowledged. It is happening for a number of reasons. One of the reasons relates to the regulation of shops that pay cash for gold. I welcome the fact that the Minister has set up a public consultation process and I urge people to make submissions before 30 October. We must ensure that we put in place a mechanism to trace goods which have been stolen and sold on. In many cases, they cannot be traced. I know of two cases which occurred in close succession. One was in the rural end of my constituency in east Limerick and the other in the city or urban end. Both involved elderly people who have been left devastated and shocked at their properties being broken into and precious items, including engagement rings and gifts from their parents, being stolen.

In all likelihood, it will be very difficult for the Garda to recover those goods. We must cut the gateway for disposing of these stolen goods effectively, particularly with regard to paying cash for gold. Many legitimate businesses do that as well, but they will have nothing to fear from proper regulation. That is one aspect.

It is a pity Deputy Ross has left the Chamber. The issue for the public is the presence of gardaí on the ground. The Minister has had the unenviable task of trying to redress the situation where Templemore was closed by the previous Administration and there was no recruitment of gardaí. However, 500 have been recruited over the last year, and they are now out among the public or are being trained. I have said previously that the Minister must be supported in expediting that process further. The single issue in both urban and rural areas is the need for extra gardaí on the beat. I feel strongly about that. When I speak to people in communities in both urban and rural areas they tell me they want to see gardaí both on foot and in patrol cars. I welcome the provision of €46 million to upgrade the fleet. Extra gardaí and extra patrol cars go hand-in-hand because obviously the patrol cars cannot be manned unless there are extra gardaí.

In places such as Cappamore, Doon, Pallasgreen, Murroe, Caherconlish and Oola in rural east Limerick, an area I represent, people are going through a difficult time. There was the terrible tragedy of John O'Donoghue's death when his house in Toomaline, Doon, was being burgled. People were appalled and shocked. That issue must be dealt with and it involves putting extra Garda resources on the ground. I have made representations already to the Minister in the Chamber about this. That area of east Limerick requires at least one or two extra gardaí. I hope that will be addressed quickly.

The second issue is the legislation the Minister is introducing. I welcome the fact that the bail laws are being changed with regard to people who have been repeat offenders. Perhaps on Report Stage it can be made even more flexible, within constitutional requirements, whereby when an individual appears before a judge on a first offence the judge would have the latitude not to grant bail. I believe we must be hard when it comes to breaking into a person's home. In fact, we cannot be hard enough. I have visited people's kitchens and living rooms and seen the devastation when their house is burgled. The victim must be put at the centre, not the criminal. I strongly believe that should be examined further on Report Stage.

The other issue is sentencing. I welcome the fact that consecutive sentences will now be available. Obviously that is an important point, but we must also examine the length of sentences. The message must be conveyed through this legislation that if somebody commits a burglary, they will be held to account, pay the price and be put in prison for their actions. This is something that goes to the core of our being, particularly with regard to the elderly and people living alone. There are people in my constituency who are afraid to go to bed at night. That is intolerable. People have rights, certainly in terms of legal representation, but I believe the victims have more rights. It is something we should examine.

The issue of cash for gold outlets is arising repeatedly. In the burglaries that take place the burglars are invariably seeking items of jewellery and cash. Many of the elderly, for whatever reason, keep cash in their homes. We must find a way to make them feel that they can put their money elsewhere and feel it is secure. It is a historical issue. Many of them were reared in very prudent times and they are anxious to ensure they have cash. That is why the burglars are targeting elderly people living alone. What is required is the patrolling of residential areas. In many cases at present burglars are scouting areas, both urban and rural, and sometimes marking the houses by various means so that when they return they know which houses to rob. What is required is a strategic way of being preventative as well as catching the criminals, and that is about Garda resources and gardaí being out and about on the beat and in patrol cars.

Deputy Ross referred to Garda stations. Garda stations are very important but if one gives somebody a choice between having a Garda station that is manned for one or two hours a day or gardaí patrolling in a patrol car, they will opt for the latter every time. That is what we must get. I hope the Minister will get support in the forthcoming budget and that there will be an allocation in respect of expediting the recruitment of extra gardaí. It is a huge issue for people. Criminals involved in burglaries feel that the sentences are light. The penalties do not match the crime. This legislation will redress that. I look forward to seeing the amendments and to participating in the Report Stage debate.

I commend this Bill to the House. The message must be loud and clear that if somebody breaks into a person's home and violates their privacy, they will be held to account in the most forceful fashion. Ours is the law and order party; it has been since the foundation of the State. This issue goes to the root of people's entitlement to live their lives without fear. There is nothing worse than knocking on a door at night and seeing that the person is afraid to come out. That is because their house, their neighbour's house or the local business has been burgled. This is one of the issues that have been galvanising people. They want it dealt with expediently and in a tough, hard fashion so the criminals will know that the emphasis is very much tilting towards the victim and away from the criminal.

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