The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, indicated yesterday that he wished to see increased use of "stinger" devices by gardaí to tackle the ongoing problem of so-called "joyriding".
It was not that there was an increased incidence of joyriding, but it was the case that it had caused "appalling consequences" in recent weeks, the Minister said.
Pointing out that joyriding had been a problem in inner-city areas for some time, Mr McDowell said that he intended to have discussions with the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, about a number of measures, including the use of stingers. "They are dangerous," he said, "but it's quite dangerous to ask gardaí in squad cars to head off speeding cars. It's a difficult one."
Older offenders who committed joyriding offences faced stiff penalties, Mr McDowell said. Joyriding had been an indictable offence for 15 years. No longer "unauthorised taking", stealing a car for joyriding was straightforward theft, governed by the Theft and Fraud Act.
For theft, older offenders faced custodial sentences of up to 10 years. Where death and serious injury resulted from recklessness, offenders faced life imprisonment.
"Older offenders are very well aware and, if they are not, I'm saying it to them: they face indictment and prison up to life if they cause death," Mr McDowell said.
The Minister was speaking in Killarney at the signing of contracts for a new €23 million financial management and shared services centre at his Department's finance division in the town.
Referring to the provision of places for young offenders, there were two categories, Mr McDowell said. Younger offenders (those up to 16) came under the remit of the Department of Education. For 16/18-year-olds, there was adequate provision of places, while for those over 18 there were plenty of places in prison. "It's no longer a revolving-door system," he added.
On counter-terrorism measures, gardaí were keeping Shannon Airport under scrutiny. Flights of military personnel had been going on for decades, Mr McDowell pointed out. The Irish Government had to be consulted, as Mr Cowen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, had made clear.