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FIANNA FÁIL and Fine Gael have both pledged to get tough on crime, but the two parties have some differing ideas.
Micheál Martin’s party launched its justice manifesto today, pledging to recruit an additional 5,000 gardaí over the next five years if re-elected.
This promise puts it at odds with Fine Gael, who today pledged to recruit an additional 6,000 gardaí.
How will such a ramping up of gardaí be achieved when the government of the last four years has struggled to reach its current recruitment targets?
Fianna Fáil has proposed to increase the garda training allowance from €354 to €500 per week, as well as introduce other recruitment reforms.
It also wants to reform the Garda recruitment and training processes to increase capacity and to widen the net to include a graduate entry programme.
Fine Gael pledges to double the training allowance and reassign 500 gardaí away from admin desk jobs to frontline policing.
The party also wants to expand the Templemore Training College, and open a second Garda training college, while also using colleges and universities around the country for gardaí to carry out the academic side of the training.
Rolling out a standalone public transport police is another area of difference between the two parties.
Martin revealed in an interview with The Journal last week that he wasn’t prepared to let garda management stand in the way of rolling out such a unit, stating that it is what the public transport unions have been calling for.
Asked why she wouldn’t back the idea, Fine Gael’s Justice Minister Helen McEntee said outlined that current operations have seen gardaí police public transport, stating that she supported an enhancement of a Garda presence on public transport, but not through a dedicated force.
She outlined that Fine Gael favours increasing transport hubs at places such as train stations. McEntee emphasised the importance of maintaining a flexible workforce that can respond to various incidents, both on public transport and in urban areas, arguing that this would not be the case if a standalone garda unit was established.
Aside from those two differences, the parties have many similarities. Both parties pledge to:
The issue of facial recognition was a source of controversy in the last government, with the Green Party raising concerns over its use.
A number of experts, including a Trinity professor raised concerns about racial bias, while the the Irish Council of Civil Liberties (ICCL) highlighted concerns over “mass surveillance”.
The use of facial recognition technology was contentious in the last government but FG pushing for it again in manifesto. pic.twitter.com/DRHkxYlKEW
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) November 15, 2024
Speaking at a press conference today, McEntee defended the party’s position, stating that it would go further and seek for live facial recognition to be used for specific threats such as for terrorist attacks, national security issues and for missing persons.
Other measures in the Fianna Fáil manifesto include increasing prison sentences for those involved in the supply of drugs while Fine Gael wants to have specialised judges with special training used in cases relating to gender-based sexual violence.
Fianna Fáil said it will deliver 1,100 prison places, while interestingly, Fine Gael’s policy re-commits to Thornton Hall being used as a new prison, despite the Taoiseach stating this week that it is to be used as an accommodation facility for international protection applicants.
At today’s Fianna Fáil press conference in Dublin, the party also defended its drugs policy. Earlier this week Fianna Fáil’s press office was forced to clarify that the party does not want to decriminalise personal possession all drugs, after its manifesto appeared to suggest this was the policy.
Instead, the party only wants to decriminalise cannabis. Jim O’Callaghan and TD James Browne today insisted that the party’s position is still for a health-led approach to be used for drug users.
A line in today’s justice today’s portfolio reads: “Those taking drugs “recreationally” will not be allowed operate as if they are above the law”.
When asked how this aligns with a health-led approach, O’Callaghan said: “I don’t see any incompatibility between it, I think we need a compassionate approach for individuals who have addiction issues.
“We need a compassionate approach in respect to a health led thing, but when it comes to drug dealers who wreak havoc on our society. It’s absolutely essential that we’ve strong policing response to that so we can get rid of that scourge from our society.”
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FG had their chance and have wrecked havoc on society in every sector. They brought in fund-ownership of housing over homeownership. Change the govt
@F1rYnpWc: FG gonna win bigly
@Tired Jim: yawn, lack of originality pretty much describes you & all the other woke mind virus infected automotons
@Jim: I have some Trollfiles muted. It just shows a blank space where they commented. They’re best muted.
@Jim: Don’t feed them Jim…good man
What comvinced me that Dublin was safe was McEntee walking down a street in Dublin with Gardaí beside her
@Brian D’Arcy: Yes if we all could get an escort like McEntee we’d all be safer, sure may as well get driven around in a blacked out limousine too so as not to even see the peasants ;)
Have FFG commented on the farm being searched for Jo Jo Dollard the media silence and the reason it took 28 years
@Kevin O Brien: Just doing what FFG have done since the foundation of the state. Cover up, after cover up. Protecting their own, no matter how evil.
@Kevin O Brien: Would that be the farm of a former fg mep
@Daniel Gilroy: there are over 800 babies, killed by the state still buried in a sewer in Tuam.
@micheal gilsenan: mep or td?
Which party plans to build a new prison?
@ecrowley ecrowley:
None, that I’m aware of!
@P. J.: then it’s pointless, judges will continue to give suspended sentences to repeat offenders because not only there’s a housing crisis for the free, but also for the incarcerated; it’s a joke but there’s not enough space to imprison our criminals
@J Ven:
Why can’t judges give out tougher sentences? They were giving out soft sentences when we had loads of prison spaces so what was the excuse then? It’s just a cop out to say they’re giving soft sentences because
of low capacity. Sentence the criminals appropriately and let the prison service sort out the accommodation it’s none of the judges business where they get locked up.
@ecrowley ecrowley: The purchase of a decommissioned cruise liner to be used as a floating prison would be the job. It could inadvertently be sunk when inmate capacity is reached. A twenty minute heads up start could be given to the staff and for humanitarian purposes, an algebra based maths clue could be sent on an inmates WhatsApp group chat to unlock the shackles around their wrists and ankles.
@Paul Linehan: I like where you’re headed.
@ecrowley ecrowley:
Why would you waste money on a new prison when there’s an empty one in Cork which can house prisoners tommorow?
@J Ven: they legal fraternity don’t want them locked up, more money to be made when there roaming the streets creating mayhem, and lots of court appearances on legal aid.
And would they be like the promises ye made before ? …. and before that …. and before that…
They have been in power for a full term, but only if we return them to power then they will tackle the growing problems of increasing crime.
Does not fill me with confidence.
Talk is cheap. I can’t give them a second go, I neither trust or believe them.
@John Farrant: They and ff have been in power for the last 100 years.
Laughable that the party of Helen McEntee and her (delayed till after the election) early release scheme are somehow tough on crime.
Anyone for 7,000… last bids now.
Wow all these promises you’d think there was an election coming up
Doubling the training allowance (FG) would actually put training gardai on higher earnings than newly appointed gardai. So that’s not going to happen. Well done you have been attested, here’s a pay decrease.
All about the biometrics….they want to introduce Chinas system but they know Western people value their rights and freedoms, so they’ll have to be subversive and let crime spiral till people demand it.
@Dere: And you are basing this on ….?
@Brendan O’Brien: taking the head out of the sand and looking at what’s actually going on in the world?
The woke mind virus infection must be rotting you physically at this stage.
@Jim: No need for facts or evidence: just feelings. Gotcha.
@Brendan O’Brien: lol. it’s the ‘Mystic Meg’ approach
@Brendan O’Brien: nah, it’s called empirical evidence.
Hilarious coming from you when all your ‘facts’ are given to you by RTÉ & the rest of the corrupt MSM
They’ve really done a job on you & the other NPC’s with the mind & body rotting vaccines.
Now off with you for your 15th booster & hopefully we won’t have to hear from your trolling again.
There are too many do gooders in this country. No point in blaming immigrants for our own failures. It’s about time that parents were held fully responsible for the actions of those who either can’t be name, or apparently can’t be imprisoned. The voice of victims needs to be heard, not the voices of vermin with multiple convictions.
@Paul Linehan: Just telling nasty people not to do it again approach caused most of the child abuse victims. Nothing has changed it seems. Society needs to toughen up
@Paul Linehan: gradually remove social welfare, if there is none then fines. Cheapest and least effort. Costs a fortune to lock people up. I cant see Irish people paying for a ‘super prison’ if we wont pay for the transport infrastructures we need.
@thomas molloy: The lads in fianna fail took that approach with irelands most prolific paedophile brendan kenneally.
how can you having compassion for addicts by criminalising them? how can 3 different assemblies/ committees arrive at the same conclusion (decriminalisation of all drugs possession) and yet the government ignore it.. FFG out..
Clampdown on the illegal use of drugs in public. The smell of weed is toxic, with folk flouting the law everywhere.
Things have got to a low pitch in Ireland where two convicted criminals are running for election, and one of them seems set to take a seat, spending a fortune on posters and canvassing.
@John Mulligan: Michael lowry is the deal maker for fine gael every time, a convict. A man who helped de fraud the state of millions. #moriartytribunal
@John Mulligan: matt coopers last word show has perjurer Sarah Carey, a woman who sold her soul for a couple of Maltese dollars and lied to a tribunal, as his main political journo commenting on the upcoming elections. It’s how ireland works. #moriartytribunal
@John Mulligan: don’t forget all those great patriots running. They have amassed many convictions including shoplifting, drunk and disorderly and assault to name but a few, all to try and save our country from violent criminals. Ivory Coast go bragh!
Nothing more than lip service from the two parties who have emboldened criminals with their soft-on-crime policy. The same people who say that they have a plan to tackle crime if they get into government are currently in government. You couldn’t make it up! Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have sat around and twiddled their thumbs as people with 70 prior convictions were released out on bail 24 hours after they were arrested, free to attack, mug or stab another innocent bystander. Crime is the number one issue for me this election and that’s why I won’t even be ranking Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil on my ballot paper.
Judge Woulfe, Prisons full, failed Judicial system, Gardai now a dysfunctional force, gangs running amok, people with serious mental health issues & criminal records entering the State weekly, Law & Order has completely broken down under Fine Gael & Fianna Fail. Four & half years in power & nothing achieved & now the empty promises of getting tough on crime, time is up !
Lowry is an absolute legend
I can’t wait to vote for FG
@Tired Jim: You don’t even attempt to change your comment to differentiate it from your other profiles.
@Brian D’Arcy: Yes: his ‘Fintan Pox’ profile had the same messaging except that it was supposedly pro-FF.
@Tired Jim: Because you’re an uneducated gobshyte. People like you shouldn’t be permitted to vote
@DJ D: they are gonna win bigly
Serious paranoia from the far left trolls
For starters, they need to legalise controlled substances, regulate them, and tax them. It immediately eliminates a tremendous amount of effectively victimless crimes and eliminates things like deaths from substances that drugs are “cut with” since the purity can be regulated, and the taxes can be earmarked for better drug treatment. This approach works extremely well everywhere it has been applied.
Next, they need to get all non-violent drug offenders out of our proteins to make room for actual criminals.
The Gardaí resources freed up, and the prison space freed up will allow Gardai to stop wasting their time and put away ACTUAL criminals and they’ll be able to STAY put away because the prisons won’t be so overcrowded.
To late
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