Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I call on the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House to have a debate on rural crime. I wish in particular to discuss why many of the recent criminals robbing and plundering rural Ireland have not been disqualified from driving. Section 27(1)(a) of the 1961 Road Traffic Act provides that where a criminal has used a mechanically propelled vehicle in the commission of a crime or an offence, he or she can be disqualified from driving. This has not happened to any of the ringleaders imprisoned recently, who were responsible for a spate of burglaries, robberies and assaults.

It is not good enough to do nothing about this. We should try to curtail the freedom of movement of these criminals in more ways than one. The law is being under-utilised by our legal officers. I feel strongly that the DPP should throw the book at these thugs and put forward charges of disqualification against every criminal using a car in the commission of their crimes.

If we are serious about combatting rural crime, it is imperative that we use the legal infrastructure that is already in existence to punish those who rob and plunder our rural communities. We should also consider amending this legislation so that we can include a further provision that any criminal who is a passenger in a car and is intent on being an accessory to a crime could also be disqualified from driving. Unless we introduce hardline deterrents for all these criminal gangs, we will lose the battle with crime in rural Ireland.

Fear is pervasive in every town in my constituency - I am sure it is the same across the country - from Athenry to Dunmore, Loughrea and Gort. The Garda is working hard but our laws need to be more hardline. We need to deter criminals and cut them off from their market, which is rural Ireland. At the same time we must offer solace to those who are living in their homes in fear. As rural dwellers, we deserve nothing more but certainly nothing less than that. I ask that the Minister for Justice and Equality come into the House so that we can have a proper discussion about why section 27(1)(a) is not utilised more often in our courts.