Following the murders of journalist Veronica Guerin and Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, the Minister for Justice wants approval for a new package to tackle organised crime.
The exterior of Leinster House is a floral shrine as members of the public express their outrage over the murders of investigative journalist Veronica Guerin and Detective Garda Jerry McCabe.
The perception is little is being done to tackle the crime problem and as they laid flowers and wreaths outside the Dáil they laid the blame firmly on the politicians inside.
One woman thinks politicians need to get tough and change the laws. Her feelings are echoed by a man, who believes,
The politicians have dragged their heels on this, possibly because up to this there were no votes in it.
Minister for Justice Nora Owen is seeking approval from the Rainbow Coalition leaders and the cabinet for a package to fight crime. These measures would include extra prison spaces, a new prison, the recruitment of more gardaí and the use of the special criminal court to try drug trafficking cases. There is also a proposal for the establishment of,
A small anonymous anti-crime unit, led by the Gardaí and specialists from Revenue and Social Welfare, specially detailed to target individual so called drugs and crime bosses.
The minister insists she has been working on these proposals for some time and they are not a reaction to recent events.
The Fianna Fáil bill which provides for the seizure of suspected drug barons' assets is to also set become law. TD Dermot Ahern believes the bill is constitutional. However the Irish Council for Civil Liberties fear it will lead to injustice and wrongful convictions.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 1 July 1996. The reporter is Paul Reynolds.
