David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This motion seems to be even more urgent than the other one because criminal gangs are certainly on the increase. Nothing like this was heard of when I was a young person. People are now prepared to go out and murder. Nice looking young men are hired, and they think nothing of going out, putting a gun to somebody's head, pulling the trigger and blowing the head off the individual. That is a routine activity now. There seems to be no reticence about engaging in this kind of activity. It is horrendous, and I do not know what can be done about it. How can people be sensitised to that? Taking another human being's life is the most arrogant act one can possibly perpetrate.

The question of jury tampering and intimidation is another very good point. We have had a number of examples of that and for that reason it is a regrettable necessity that we have to have this kind of legislation involving criminal cases being heard in the Special Criminal Court.

The Minister said that the Garda Commissioner, in his report, stated that this is necessary. What else would she expect? The gardaí will hold on to every power they possibly can so I do not necessarily regard that as an argument. The Minister made some substantial arguments but while one treats the opinion of the Garda Commissioner with respect, it is what one would anticipate.It is a regrettable necessity that this legislation is in place. The activities of gangs, particularly in cities like Dublin and Limerick, are quite horrendous and I support the Government in anything it does to stamp them out.