Seanad debates

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

2:30 pm

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with the calls of colleagues for a debate with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, on crime and the resources being made available. I very much welcome the Government's increased commitment to properly resourcing the Garda and adding 600 new recruits this year as a major attempt to come to terms with the very mobile and dangerous criminals roaming the countryside and terrorising people in their homes.I want to see further investment in technology to help apprehend the people concerned and keep a trace on them after they have committed a certain number of offences. We need to look at the issue of the tagging of dangerous criminals. Civil liberties groups will be unhappy with a statement such, but the civil liberties of people living in rural areas and cities who are being terrorised in their homes and having their lives changed forever are being seriously infringed. We should do everything possible to ensure repeat offenders are put out of business once and for all.

I welcome the support of Deirdre Clune, MEP, a former Member of this House, for a motion in the European Parliament calling for the global abolition of the death penalty. I saw some staggering figures in this regard. It is hard to believe 2,466 people in 55 countries were put to death in 2014, a 23% increase since 2013. They included several women who were stoned to death for committing adultery in Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Eight states - Mauritania, Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Qatar - still have the death penalty for homosexuality, while 33 other states apply it for drug-related offences. This is a serious human rights issue. Will the Leader organise a debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on how Ireland could spearhead a campaign in the European Union to get agreement and put pressure on other countries to get rid of this barbaric sentence? It is not acceptable in 2015 that 2,500 people will be executed. I am always concerned about a miscarriage of justice in such cases.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.