War of words breaks out between two Limerick TDs over Dail vote
It concerns legislative provisions designed to combat terrorism and serious organised crime
MINISTER of State Niall Collins and Deputy Richard O’Donoghue are at loggerheads over a vote in the Dail prior to the summer recess.
Mr Collins said Independent Ireland TDs have taken the side of some of the country's most dangerous criminals by voting against the renewal of legislative provisions designed to tackle organised crime.
However, Mr O’Donoghue said it was a “protest vote because the Government again promised a reform and didn’t deliver”.
The Dáil voted in favour of renewing the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act, 2009, legislative provisions designed to combat terrorism and serious organised crime.
Independent Ireland TDs Mr O'Donoghue, Michael Collins and Michael Fitzmaurice voted against the renewal, while Sinn Féin TDs abstained.
Mr Collins said these pieces of legislation are the State's primary measures that allow us to tackle terrorism and serious organised crime.
“The Criminal Justice Amendment Act was introduced by Fianna Fáil in 2009 to tackle serious organised crime and has proved to be a vital legislative tool to gardaí. The people of Limerick know the devastating effects gangland violence can have on communities.
“The gardaí have used this legislation to arrest extremely many dangerous organised criminals. The fact that Richard O'Donoghue, a Limerick TD, would effectively take the side of dangerous criminals and organised crime gangs by voting against the renewal of this legislation is staggering,” said Mr Collins.
Mr O’Donoghue said he 100% believes that any criminal deserves the punishment that they get. He said under the European Convention on Human Rights everybody should be entitled to an appeal.
“We have seen in a minority of cases in the history of the State that people were convicted wrongly and released after 20 years or more. You have to allow for mistakes to be made and the right of appeal and this justice bill does not cover that.
“It was a protest vote because the Government again promised a reform and didn’t deliver. It is another promise broken by the Government,” said Mr O’Donoghue.
Mr Collins said: “I believe that organised crime has not gone away and I believe it is common sense to renew this legislation and give gardaí the legislative tools they need to continue tackling organised crime gangs.”