McDowell To Unveil New Measures To Tackle Crime Gangs

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is expected to publish his new bill to tackle gangland crime later today. The Criminal Justice Bill is understood to include provisions that would force judges to impose mandatory 10-year prison sentences on people caught with large quantities of drugs.

It is also expected to allow for the setting up of a DNA database and the electronic tagging of suspects.

One of the most controversial provisions, however, is expected to be limitations on the right to silence that would allow juries to make inferences from a suspect’s refusal to answer garda questions.

The two main opposition parties have expressed concern about the Government’s moves to rush the new legislation through the Dail, but they are still expected to vote in favour of the bill.