McDowell’s claim under fire

MICHAEL McDowell was accused last night of failing to produce any proof to back up his claim that new laws have directly resulted in a reduction in street violence and public order.

After persistently demanding figures showing actual prosecutions under the supposed tough new legislation, Fine Gael justice spokesman John Deasy was kicked out of the chamber in Dáil Éireann yesterday.

Announcing provisional crime figures for 2003 last week, the Minister for Justice clearly linked the decrease in headline crime to the implementation of the tough new laws.