Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his reason for proposing the extension of the ambit of the Special Criminal Court for dealing with gangland crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29466/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Provision already exists for the forwarding for trial in the Special Criminal Court (SCC) of persons accused of both scheduled and non-scheduled offences. In the case of scheduled offences which are also indictable offences, accused persons shall be returned for trial to the SCC unless the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) otherwise directs. In the case of non-scheduled offences, accused persons can be returned for trial to the SCC upon direction of the DPP. The SCC has already been used in a number of serious non-paramilitary cases. Issues relating to the operation of the Court in such circumstances are, of course, kept under review.