Gardaí express concern about new anti-gang bill

Rank-and-file gardaí have expressed serious concern about the Government's controversial new plans on tackling gang crime.

The Garda Representatives Association says the Criminal Justice Amendment Bill, which is due to be debated in the Seanad today, could be open to a legal challenge.

The controversial legislation would allow all gangland trials to be held in the non-jury Special Criminal Court.

However, the GRA says its main worry is the provision allowing any serving or former garda to give opinion evidence in court relating to the existence of a criminal gang.

The GRA says this could be interpreted as an individual opinion rather than "expert evidence", as claimed by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern.