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September 7, 2006

http://www.limerickpost.ie/dailynews.elive?id=7627&category=Daily-Thu

Thu, 07/09/06
"Noonan wants witness protection scheme given on statutory basis"

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A CALL to introduce a witness protection scheme on a statutory basis, has been made by Deputy Michael Noonan.

The chairman of the Dail Public Accounts Committee said that the gardai in Limerick have been very successful in solving murders and gaining convictions.

However, he claims that their work is made difficult "by the intimidation of witnesses, especially when those witnesses are gang colleagues of those accused”.

"Since the Veronica Guerin murder the gardai have relied on the witness protection programme/scheme to encourage gang members to give evidence against former gang colleagues. This very important weapon is the armoury of the gardai and it is no longer as effective as it was, and unfortunately the scheme is being used less and less’, he said.

The former leader of Fine Gael said that the funds allocated by the Minister for Justice bear this out.

While 1,183,484 euro was allocated to the scheme in 2003, this dropped by 60,000 euro in 2004. and last year it was down to 540,547 euro, he explained.

"It’s amazing that faced with so many unsolved gangland murders in Dublin, the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, does not take action. He must introduce legislation to underpin the scheme."