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30/06/2009
Gangs Face Tougher Legislation
Sweeping legislation has been announced to tackle Ireland's gangs.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern published the Criminal Justice Amendment Act, which contains a host of increased powers giving Gardaí and the courts more powers in their fight against gang activity.
The new legislation will enable any garda of any rank with the appropriate expertise to give opinion evidence against a suspected criminal gang member in the Special Criminal Court.
This will allow officers on the ground and in the communities to identify gang members facing trial. The Act also redefines a criminal gang as a group of at least three people whose main purpose or activity is serious crime.
A new offence has also been created by the amendment, that of directing the activities of a criminal gang, which carries a sentence of up to life in prison.
Those who help criminal gangs also face up to 15 years in prison even if the gang never get to commit the crime they were helped with.
Minister Ahern said the legislation will be rushed through the Dáil. He hopes it will be on the statute books by Friday week.
He added: "This is groundbreaking legislation we are publishing today. It is something we do not do lightly but we have a duty to protect our citizens and ensure the rule of law.
"We cannot tolerate a situation where citizens live in fear of crime gangs."
(DW/BMcC)
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern published the Criminal Justice Amendment Act, which contains a host of increased powers giving Gardaí and the courts more powers in their fight against gang activity.
The new legislation will enable any garda of any rank with the appropriate expertise to give opinion evidence against a suspected criminal gang member in the Special Criminal Court.
This will allow officers on the ground and in the communities to identify gang members facing trial. The Act also redefines a criminal gang as a group of at least three people whose main purpose or activity is serious crime.
A new offence has also been created by the amendment, that of directing the activities of a criminal gang, which carries a sentence of up to life in prison.
Those who help criminal gangs also face up to 15 years in prison even if the gang never get to commit the crime they were helped with.
Minister Ahern said the legislation will be rushed through the Dáil. He hopes it will be on the statute books by Friday week.
He added: "This is groundbreaking legislation we are publishing today. It is something we do not do lightly but we have a duty to protect our citizens and ensure the rule of law.
"We cannot tolerate a situation where citizens live in fear of crime gangs."
(DW/BMcC)
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