SINN FÉIN:SINN FÉIN wants an end to recruitment, promotion and overtime embargos in the Garda Síochána under plans in a policy document launched by its justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh.
There are 24 proposals in Tackling Crime – Making Communities Safe, among them the scrapping of the Garda Reserve, with the funds being used instead to employ full-time gardaí.
Sinn Féin would increase funding for Garda drugs units and guarantee the future of the Dial to Stop Drug Dealing non-Garda confidential phoneline.
The party seeks to “tackle organised crime” by ensuring that existing laws are used more effectively, together with sufficient resources to ensure more robust and systematic investigations.
Sinn Féin also proposes that all money confiscated by the Criminal Assets Bureau should be invested in the communities worst affected by crime.
Speaking outside the Department of Justice yesterday, Mr Ó Snodaigh, who seeks to retain his seat in Dublin South Central, said: “The key point in tackling crime in Ireland today is prevention, which saves money for the exchequer. If we invest in prevention, rather than afterwards, then we will have a better and a safer society.”
There should be “more community gardaí on the streets, dealing with the public and enhancing the relationship between the Garda Síochána and the community”.
“If we invest the resources that An Garda Síochána have in community policing we will see a safer and a better society.
“We would encourage any government and every other party to look at them [the proposals], because they are credible proposals, and there is no reason to date that any government shouldn’t have taken these steps.”
