McDowell accused over crime rate

Justice Minister Michael McDowell was today accused of blaming everybody but himself for the crime rate, following the latest murder on Dublin’s streets.

Fine Gael Senator Brian Hayes and Irish Labour justice spokesman Joe Costello launched a strong attack on the Government’s record on fighting crime after the gunning down of a man in Cabra yesterday.

It was the second murder inquiry to be launched in the Irish capital within a week, following the murder of Donna Cleary.

Senator Hayes attacked the minister for refusing to shoulder the responsibility for crime and the failure to secure better conviction rates.

“This year alone we have seen a spate of violent murders, on top of the 54 we saw last year,” he said.

“Headline crime has risen 39% in the last five years. That is an increase of 27,000 serious offences since 2000, with over 100,000 serious crimes committed last year.

“In parallel with that, detection rates for those crimes have fallen each of the last five years where the numbers are available.

“In 2000 42% of crimes were detected but that number fell each year to a point in 2004 where only 35% of cases were being solved.

“That means that under Minister McDowell’s watch more crimes are being committed – 500 more per week than in 2000 – and more criminals are getting away with their crimes.

“And what is the Minister’s reaction? Blame everyone – the Gardaí, the judiciary, political opponents – anybody but himself.

“Rather than being tough on crime, as he pledged to be, crime and criminals are threatening the safety of the public and grow more confident that the state will not punish them for their crimes.”

Mr Costello said the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrat coalition government had promised zero tolerance of crime since taking over the reigns of power in 1997.

The Labour spokesman said they now had to accept the primary part of the responsibility for the way in which crime gangs were able to kill with little fear of being brought to justice and trade in drugs.

“There was a particularly shameful effort by the Taoiseach (Bertie Ahern) and the Minister for Justice earlier in the week to shift the blame for current gangland violence on to the judiciary,” he said.

“The problem with regard to murder is not the court but the very poor conviction rate, especially for gun murders.

“We know from replies to parliamentary questions that there were 75 murders in which guns were used between 1998 and 2004.

“Proceedings were initiated in just 26 cases and convictions were recorded in just 12. This is a policing issue, not a court issue.”

Mr McDowell yesterday accused Fine Gael and Labour of hypocrisy over sentencing policies.

Meanwhile it emerged today that a third of arrest warrants issued by judges in the Republic last year were not executed.

The Irish Independent disclosed that of 23,813 bench warrants granted by the District Court, 8,557 have still not been enforced by the police.