New Bill can help nail crime bosses

Gangland violence, it has been argued, poses the same type of threat to the security of this State that subversive violence once did in the 1970s and '80s. The recent chilling murder of businessman Roy Collins in Limerick and other acts of violence and intimidation by major crime figures, however, seem to have shaken the Government from its reverie. Sweeping new powers are to be adopted under the Government"s new Surveillance Bill which will permit the bugging of criminals" conversations, wire taps and the placing of covert tracking devices on their vehicles - all of which, crucially, will be admissible as evidence in court. Another aspect of the new Bill is the green light to haul suspected gangsters before the non-jury Special Criminal Court, where sworn Garda testimony will be sufficient for gangland prosecutions. All are timely and appropriate measures, particularly in places like Limerick where crime godfathers and drug traffickers appear to believe themselves immune from prosecution because of the climate of fear and intimidation they have created. Roy Collins"s savage murder shocked the country, particularly since it became clear he was gunned down because his family gave evidence in court against a notorious city crime figure. Threats were made to Mr Collins"s family at the time, several years ago, and earlier this month the past caught up with the family when the young man was shot dead in his business premises in cold blood. Just like the brutal killing of rugby player Shane Geoghegan in the same city in a case of mistaken identity last year, this needs to be a watershed moment where the people of this country shout 'enough". However, the sense of outrage that inevitably accompanies such atrocities will, in itself, do nothing to put away the thuggish elements who believe the streets belong to them. The anger of the ordinary people of this country needs to be harnessed in a meaningful way and channelled into legislation that takes away the power from the criminals and hands it back to those who uphold the rule of law in this country. Heavily armed officers patrolling the streets may be something of a deterrent, certainly, but what An Garda Siochana needs are strong legal powers to clamp down hard on the crime and drugs gangs and those who control them in court. Most importantly, they need the capability to prevent jury or witness intimidation from hampering prosecutions. No more must people who want to do the right thing and give evidence be living in fear of their lives. Life imprisonment for threatening witnesses under this new legislation is a good start. Just as the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) hit serious criminals hard following the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern"s tough new measures must deal with the criminals who think they are untouchable. Giving sworn and truthful evidence in a court of law should not be a death sentence for anyone anywhere in the world, but the Irish drugs gangs have now plumbed such depths of depravity with their latest killings that standing still is no longer an option for the country"s legislators. It is now time to hit back, and hit back hard. The gangs" defiance of the law and utter contempt they have for society and human life will hopefully be ended by not only this new legislation but also by a continuing unyielding crackdown by Gardai using all the tools in the State"s armoury. Predictably, the civil liberties lobby will be concerned about unfair treatment of individuals and potential miscarriages of justice, so the Government must ensure this is good law and is not hastily something thrown together. It will undoubtedly face legal challenges but Mr Ahern must take care to frame the legislation correctly while at the same time not being tardy about bringing it before the Oireachtas for it to be passed into law. He must resist calls to bring in the new laws immediately in favour of ensuring it is watertight before it is placed on the statute books where it can offer protection to the good people of Limerick and elsewhere who are prepared to stand up to the murderers and thugs who have attempted to destroy their city"s good name.