Progressive Democrats leader Ms Mary Harney today pledged to set up a compensation fund for victims of crime if re-elected to Government.
Speaking in Cork, Ms Harney said: "The Progressive Democrats are determined to shift the balance in favour of the victims of crime".
She said her party would also impose a curfew on young people, aged 12 to 17, found guilty of criminal offences. "This means that judges will be able to impose a curfew order on young offenders to confine them to their homes for particular periods".
Ms Harney also promised to target parents who are found guilty of wilful neglect of a child who commits a criminal offence by forcing them to compensate the victim.
The party’s anti-crime programme said it would recruit an extra 2,000 gardaí.
It proposed creating a Garda reserve to help gardaí and extending CCTV (closed-circuit television) to cover all crime blackspots in major urban centres.
The Tánaiste said: "Crime will continue to be a major issue for the incoming government. That is to be expected in a country with a rising population and expanding economic activity. We in the Progressive Democrats have indicated how we intend to deal with the crime challenge".
