Eoghan Harris (Independent)

In the same way that the Government must plan ahead in a phased way to deal with the economic crisis and reassure the public that there is such a plan, the same obligation to plan is on the Government regarding other crucial aspects, such as public order and safety. I am referring to the criminal justice system. The recent rape and murder case in Galway raises serious questions about the equity of keeping the full context of crimes from a jury. I am not a criminal justice lawyer and I do not know how this can be done. However, there must be prudential situations about which it would be a good idea for the jury to know — at least, before sentencing — or be allowed to comment in some way when the verdict is brought in. I do not know how it can be done but it is disgusting that this person can get away with that without the jury knowing it.

On a recent visit to New York I was struck by three aspects of the criminal justice system there. First, the speed of the police response to incidents on streets was enormously fast. I was on the lower east side of Manhattan, which is not the most salubrious part of New York. Second, there were very few such incidents. It is shocking to think that during the entire week I was in New York there was not a murder in Manhattan, while it would be normal in Dublin. Third, I was also struck by the severity of their criminal justice system as regards white collar crime. Bernie Madoff is in a cell with lights on 23 hours a day. He gets one hour of recreation and the New York Post is given to him one month late. We do not have that kind of severe system.

With economic pressure on the population, especially working class people, there will be more crimes against property. It is unconscionable that jails are full of people who have committed minor crimes against property. I have never equated such crimes with crimes against the person and neither does the public. Crimes against the person should be dealt with severely, but it is ridiculous that in this day and age people are still in jail for minor crimes against property, such as stealing a pair of runners from Dunnes Stores. The jails should be opened up and different methods should be found to deal with minor crimes against property. We know they are going to increase so we should plan for that. We should also plan for a much more severe criminal justice system against real criminals, including financiers and others, who commit crimes against the person and serious crimes against property.