A change to the criminal law to force those charged with crimes to outline their defence at the beginning of a trial has been proposed by the Progressive Democrats.
Publishing its justice policy in Limerick today, the party said it would "rebalance further" the criminal law to make it "fairer for victims".
The prosecution would also be allowed to challenge miscarriages of justice if new evidence came to light after a trial.
Outlining its five-point plan to combat crime, Progressive Democrat leader, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said "significant progress" had been made in the fight against crime by the Government.
"Life sentences are now longer. We have more closed-circuit-TV (CCTV) systems. We have introduced Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), and the independent Office of the Garda Ombudsman has been established," he said.
The safety of citizens in their homes and on the streets was a "core concern" for the Progressive Democrats, the party said.
Minister of State Tim O'Malley said the public was "rightly concerned about drugs and murderous gangland crime".
"The Criminal Assets Bureau is now targeting middle-ranking criminals in the drugs trade.
"Anyone convicted of possessing illegal drugs with a value of half a million euros or more will get a mandatory ten year prison sentence. A person convicted of a serious offence, who commits another serious offence within seven years, will be imprisoned for at least three quarters of the maximum sentence for the second offence. These measures will effectively tackle gangland and drug-related crime," he said.
The PDs said that, in government, they would increase Garda numbers from 14,000 to 16,000. They would rebalance the criminal law to make it fairer for victims and defendants would be required to outline their defence at the beginning of a trial.
"The prosecution will be able to challenge miscarriages of justice in the event of newly discovered evidence. Courts will have discretion to admit evidence obtained in good faith," the PDs said.
The party said it would update the Garda's PULSE system and computerise fingerprint and DNA records. It would also increase civilian support in the force, with an extra 1,200 administrative staff as well as new "crime analysts".
The PDs also said they would provide more Garda CCTV systems and support community-based CCTV, especially for sheltered and senior accommodation.