Government hope to fast-track gangland crime Bill
Groundbreaking new measures to rid society of the scourge of crime gangs will become law before the Dáil’s summer recess, it was claimed today.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said crime lords are being directly targeted so that citizens no longer live in fear within their communities.
Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said he expects to have the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009 passed before the Dáil recess in early July.
Under the proposals, hardened criminals will be tried in some circumstances in the non-jury Special Criminal Court normally used for terrorists.
The word of a senior garda can help convict suspects while officers will also be able to detain offenders for questioning for up to seven days.
The proposals, approved by the Cabinet, come just days after around 5,000 people marched through Limerick city in memory of innocent victims of gangland crime.
The event was organised by the family of local Roxboro businessman Roy Collins who was murdered in an amusement arcade last month.
“These so-called crime lords have shown a blatant disregard for human life and an arrogance that they can operate above the law.
“This legislation underlines the Government’s determination that organised crime will be defeated,” said Mr Ahern today.
“Our intention is to have it passed before the summer recess. But I acknowledge that there are complex legal and drafting issues.”
Mr Cowen said: “We cannot tolerate a situation where citizens live in fear of crime gangs. This new legislation will send out a clear message to those involved in criminal gangs that we are taking you head-on.”
The Bill also includes proposals such as:
* a new offence of directing or controlling a crime gang will carry the maximum sentence of life imprisonment
* members of organised crime gangs could face 15 years in jail
* criminals could be jailed for up to 15 years for intimidating a witness or a juror.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) warned however that the rights of all citizens to the presumption of innocence and a fair trial must be upheld.
“If we are to effectively tackle gangland crime, the gardaí must be placed in a position to fully enforce existing criminal laws, especially in cases where attempts are made to intimidate key witnesses,” said ICCL director Mark Kelly.
“The emphasis should be upon intelligence-led and community-based policing, coupled with speedier trial processes designed to protect jurors and witnesses, rather than on undermining the rule of law by expanding the Special Criminal Court.”
However, the ICCL said the Government was right to respond in the strongest terms to crime which is blighting lives in communities in Limerick and elsewhere.
