Sinn Féin ‘would scrap Garda Reserve’
At the launch of Tackling Crime — Making Communities Safe, Sinn Féin justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh said: “Crime and anti-social behaviour are on the rise. It is widely recognised that there has been too little effort to target crime in our communities. Too often the justice system has been too slow and in many cases the punishment has not been seen to fit the crime.”
He added: “For any incoming government the priority must be prevention. Crime costs. Preventing crime saves money in the long run.”
The policy aims at increasing the number of community gardaí and those in frontline duties. This would be done by re-deploying public servants into administrative duties, freeing up gardaí currently fulfilling these roles.
The document also seeks an increase in the number of Joint Policing Committees (JPC), creating one for each local authority area and additional local subcommittees “wherever need is identified.”
Change is envisaged in how JPCs are constituted, with greater community representation and “selection based on transparent, democratic process, not hand-picking by the council.”
Sinn Féin is also looking to adjust the current make-up of the Garda force, stating that “affirmative action” should be taken to ensure greater recruitment from ethnic minorities and “urban, working-class communities.”
Mr Ó Snodaigh said the policies were aimed at ridding communities “of the torment of crime and anti-social behaviour,” which would also be assisted by the party’s wider economic approach of creating employ for young people.
The proposals were launched by Mr Ó Snodaigh, and Sinn Féin candidate in Dublin North East Cllr Larry O’Toole, outside the Department of Justice.
The unusual choice of venue for a policy launch is part of a Sinn Féin guerrilla marketing strategy to seek media attention for their proposals.
Last last week the party conducted the launch of its finance proposals outside the Dáil.
A policy document on community regeneration will be launched later this week at a south-inner city Dublin community centre.
