Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

As a consequence, many criminals are walking the streets because the evidential requirements cannot be met.

A previous speaker referred to a radio interview that was broadcast this morning. A comment was made during the interview regarding greater use of the Special Criminal Court, in which the rules of evidence are not quite as stringent. The time has come to consider reflecting in other legislation some of the legislative provisions introduced in 1998 following the Omagh bombings. Under those provisions, a Garda superintendent's evidence can be taken into account by a judge in pinpointing serious criminals.

I welcome the point made by Senator O'Toole regarding other provisions contained in the legislation to which I refer. We should take a balanced approach and not try to politicise the issue, because doing so does nothing to help solve the problem