Fine Gael is proposing to tackle gangland crime in Ireland by setting up a new scheme to persuade criminals to inform on their bosses.

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has rejected Fine Gael claims about massive overcrowding at Cork Prison.

Fine Gael claims overcrowding at Cork Prison is leading to hundreds of inmates being freed before they complete their sentence.

Fine Gael is calling on the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice , Michael McDowell, to clarify his level of knowledge about gardaí inaction against two child pornography suspects.

Fine Gael says tens of thousands of euro are being wasted every year through the imprisonment of people who refuse to pay debts or fines.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe has claimed law and order has "totally broken down" due to the Government's failed policies for tackling crime.

Homeowners who injure or kill intruders in the course of defending themselves are to get greater protection under the law.

Fine Gael has welcomed calls by the Director of Public Prosecutions for judges to provide more clarity about the reasons for handing down sentences.

The number of full-time and trainee gardaí has reached a record high of more than 14,000, according to Minister for Justice Michael McDowell.

The Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has dismissed Fine Gael criticism of the recent weapons amnesty that took place ahead of new legislation governing firearms offences.

Fine Gael has welcomed apparent plans by the Government to launch a tough crackdown on illegal immigration.

Fine Gael has said that the recent spate of violent attacks at Mountjoy prison is due to overcrowding.

Fine Gael is calling for a clampdown on rogue accountants and mortgage brokers who are allegedly helping drug dealers to launder the proceeds of the crimes.

The Government has voted down Fine Gael proposals that would have given people greater rights to use violence against intruders in their homes.

Fine Gael is planning to introduce a bill in the Dáil this week giving homeowners more rights to confront intruders.

The Government is facing intense criticism from the opposition today during the Dáil debate on new legislation to replace Ireland's underage sex laws.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe has claimed that the people of Dublin feel terrorised on a daily basis due to the level of gun crime in the capital.

More than 200 trained gardaí are working full-time in areas such as human resources, public relations and IT, according to figures released by the Government to Fine Gael.

Nearly €8m has been paid to part-time members of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal since 2001.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is due to hold talks with senior gardaí and the Private Security Authority later today to discuss a recent upsurge in cash-in-transit robberies in the capital.

The Government's record on crime is coming under fire from the opposition today following yesterday morning's drive-by shooting on the M50 motorway in Dublin.

A survey commissioned by the Department of Justice has reportedly found widespread public anxiety about the levels of crime and public disorder in Ireland.

More than 2,000 gardaí are reportedly driving official vehicles on Ireland's roads without adequate training.

Fine Gael has accused Minister for Justice Michael McDowell of hypocrisy in his treatment of journalist Frank Connolly.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe has called for the establishment of a new garda unit to deal with criminal gangs following another fatal shooting in Dublin last night.

Opposition parties have said that they want the law governing the sale and importation of fireworks to be updated, as the existing legislation was passed in 1875.

Fine Gael has called for an investigation into the Government's decision to spend almost €30m on a site for a proposed new prison on the outskirts of Dublin.

The number of serious crimes reported to the Gardaí fell by 4% last year, according to provisional figures published today by the Department of Justice.

SINN FÉIN leaders knew the IRA was planning the country's biggest-ever bank robbery while they were negotiating a peace deal with the Irish and British governments, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday.

Fine Gael Spokesperson on Justice, Jim O'Keefe, has expressed surprise at Garda recruitment figures that show a three-year low in 2004.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe has accused Justice Minister Michael McDowell of failing to adequately budget for garda overtime this year.

The overall level of crime reported in Ireland last year fell by 3% compared with 2002, according to An Garda Síochána's latest annual report.

The Fine Gael spokesperson on justice Jim O'Keefe is calling on Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to explain why some gardaí are being forced to use their personal mobile phones to carry out their daily duties.

THE Government’s decision to hold the referendum on citizenship on the same day as local and European elections exploits the immigration issue and debases the Constitution, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny stated in the Dáil yesterday.

Fine Gael has criticised the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, for making empty promises to put 2000 extra gardaí on the streets.

The British-Irish parliamentary body has been told that paramilitaries are redundant.