Ahern: Murders show need for anti-gang laws
Mr Ahern said the double murder – and the near death of a child – underlined the need for the anti-gang legislation he introduced last year. Speaking at an Oireachtas committee he said: “The murders in west Dublin on Monday night reveal the sheer disregard for human life and the families and loved ones of those callously gunned down.”
Mr Ahern told the Oireachtas Justice Committee that he accepted gardaí faced “severe challenges” in dealing with gangland murders: “Often they receive no cooperation from the associates of the deceased. And the general public are fearful of threats and intimidation.”
He said it was against this backdrop that the anti-gang legislation was passed last Summer. “The Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act facilitates the use as evidence in trials of material gained by secret surveillance. The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act provides for trying certain crimes involving criminal gangs in the Special Criminal Court unless the DPP directs otherwise.”
He said the justice committee had agreed last week to renew the provisions in the act for another year. “It introduces several new organised crime offences with maximum prison sentences of 15 years to life, such as involvement in organised crime and directing or controlling a criminal organisation; simplifies the procedures relating to extension of time for questioning of suspects; and increases the penalties for intimidation of a witness or juror,” he said.
Mr Ahern said 69 people had been arrested under the act so far and eight had been charged with either participating in or directing a criminal gang.
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