McDowell plans to change law in bid protect emergency workers

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell said he intends to bring in a specific offence for people who obstruct or assault emergency workers who are trying to save a life.

Mr McDowell also rejected reports that a Nigerian schoolboy deported from Ireland last week was living on the streets in Lagos, had no relatives there and had been shot at.

The minister was speaking at the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) in Co Kilkenny.

Mr McDowell said he thought a provision could be brought in whereby a specific offence could be made for people who impede, assault of threaten emergency workers, such as ambulance crew or firefighters. He said the provision could be brought in by way of amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill.

However, he said the list of protect occupations would have to be kept narrow.

He said a previous attempt in 1996 to list these professions ended up with 40 occupations.

The call from the AGSI for such an offence received support yesterday from Judge Michael Connellan in the Dublin District Court.

Responding to criticism from immigrant groups regarding the deportation of 19-year-old Nigerian Olunkunle Eluhanla, Mr McDowell said the youth had had his case examined independently twice.

He said he did not accept reports that Mr Elunhanla was living on the streets of Lagos, that he had no relatives in the city and that he had been robbed and shot at. He said the Government had the highest standards of protection towards asylum seekers and that Mr Elunhanla had received “very generous education facilities” by the Irish State.

“These decisions are difficult, but they have to be made. If we had a policy that if you lost one parent you could stay here and be educated you would have a completely chaotic system.”

Responding to a motion calling for the Irish language to be retained as a requirement for the Garda Síochána, Mr McDowell said this rule was not fair to the growing immigrant community or to unionists.

In relation to anger at the state of many garda stations, he said €100 million would be spent on the area. He also accepted there were problems with the garda PULSE computer system and that officials and the Garda Commissioner were examining whether access to the system could be expanded.

He said he was also considering a national call centre where gardaí could report incidents.