Organised crime - McDowell’s reform plan is impulsive

Proposed reforms to deal with the growth of organised crime could amount to a fundamental change in our whole system of justice, but the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell insists that his proposals are not impulsive.

As Attorney General and Minister for Justice, he has had 10 years to think about such changes.

The proposals would include up to seven days detention, which already exists under 1996 drug trafficking legislation. There is also a suggestion that the mere objection by a senior garda should be sufficient to prevent the granting of bail.