Minister’s Garda tasks - We must use technology to fight crime

IN OUTLINING policing priorities for An Garda Síochána Justice Minister Brian Lenihan said the commissioner must tackle gun crime, organised gangs, the illicit drugs trade, public order and traffic matters as top priorities.

He went on to say that the Garda authorities should have the final say in what is best in operational matters.

At present those authorities think they have “adequate resources” and “the adequate legal armory” to deal with the criminals involved, but the minister is currently examining legislation to authorise the bugging of houses, cars and meeting places where gangland figures plan their crimes.

“I believe we do have to look at this issue and I have asked my department to examine the full legal implications of what is involved,” Mr Lenihan explained yesterday.

Some of his comments seemed hauntingly reminiscent of remarks made more than a decade ago by his predecessor in the wake of Veronica Guerin’s murder. At that time the minister (Nora Owen) also said the Garda commissioner was satisfied that the force had all the necessary resources. Some profoundly significant changes in relation to the Criminal Assets Bureau were introduced shortly afterwards.

If An Garda Siochána has all the necessary resources now, why is violent crime on the rise? Is the public being asked to accept that society can do nothing to stop the way things are developing?

In many instances gardaí know the criminals, but they cannot get a conviction because of a lack of evidence. Too many people are afraid to testify against violent criminals due to blatant intimidation.

Other countries confronting organised crime permit the bugging of cars, homes and meeting rooms of criminals, and then use such evidence to convict the criminals with their own words. In this country, Mr Lenihan stated that they have the capacity to carry out those things for “information gathering purposes,” but the material is never used as evidence in court.

It is absurd that we should persist with crime-fighting tactics of the 20th century to cope with 21st century problems. Criminals are being allowed to use the advantages of modern technology while the gardaí are not being permitted to use such resources properly.

Allowing tapped and bugged material to be used in evidence would be a big change in practice, according to the minister. It would require substantive legislative change that could have constitutional implications. It might also be desirable to require the approval of a senior member of the judiciary to authorise bugs or taps, as in other countries.

There should be no suspicion that anybody is advocating that we turn into some kind of police state, but at the same time, there must be no suspicion that criminals are being allowed to act with impunity towards the law and ride roughshod over the rights of law-abiding citizens.

We need the most modern crime-fighting techniques to deal with the criminal problems of today.