Kenny’s naïve, ill-judged and unworkable prison plan

[Dr Strangelove]

McDowell went on the attack this afternoon labelling Fine Gael's plans to plans end right to remission as 'naïve, ill-judged and unworkable'.

In a statement issued this lunch time McDowell highlights the fact that during their last spell in Government the Rainbow:

- Cancelled the prison building programme
- Failed to provide even one extra prison place
- Supported a revolving door policy that resulted in the unplanned early release of between 18-20% of sentenced prisoners

By contract, in the past 10 years the Government has created over 870 net new prison places, with over 1,200 additional new prison places being built over the next 4 years.

Enda Kenny’s claim that he would end the automatic right to remission is typical of the current Fine Gael stable of ideas which has in recent months spawned equally unworkable ideas like boot camps and gun dumps in churches and youth clubs, drunk tanks for people admitted to Accident and Emergency Units and a total ban on people under 21 being allowed into pubs. These “macho” ideas have all been advanced by the Fine Gael party in the lifetime of this Dáil. They defy common sense. Even Labour and the Greens won’t wear them.

[White Horse]

Enda Kenny wasn't Taoiseach during the last Rainbow government. This is his opportunity to get his ideas implemented.

McDowell must be feeling very insecure to lash out at Kenny in this way.

[Respvblica]

McDowell isn't very convincing as a politco is he?

One minute we are soft on crime, the next minute we're Joseph Goebbels!

[meriwether]

This being the McDowell that:
Effectively decriminalised child grooming last week until pulled up by the Labour party,
Then plugged this hole with 3 year old FG proposals for legislation.

[WestOfCentre]

This being the McDowell that:
Effectively decriminalised child grooming last week until pulled up by the Labour party,
Then plugged this hole with 3 year old FG proposals for legislation.

Here is your esteemed party leader's take on the piece of legislation from last June that caused this crisis....
"The terms of the Bill are broadly in line with the terms of the draft Fine Gael Bill, from which perspective I welcome them. I especially welcome the provisions restoring the protection of young people from sexual predators. I also welcome the tougher provisions in respect of those in authority, which was a central feature of our draft Bill."

Can you enlighten us as to whether FG's draft bill from June 2006 was measured against the piece of legislation drafted in 2003?

[White Horse]

Can you enlighten us as to whether FG's draft bill from June 2006 was measured against the piece of legislation drafted in 2003?

The opposition do not have the attorney general's and dept of justice's vast resources to vet prospective bills.

[forest]

By contract, in the past 10 years the Government has created over 870 net new prison places, with over 1,200 additional new prison places being built over the next 4 years.
.

that is not a good thing, we should try and lower the number of people in prision not raise it

The answer to solving crime is not to build more prisions

[White Horse]

that is not a good thing, we should try and lower the number of people in prision not raise it

The answer to solving crime is not to build more prisions

What is it then?

A hug?

[Fr. Hank Tree]

that is not a good thing, we should try and lower the number of people in prision not raise it

The answer to solving crime is not to build more prisions

Let's just execute our prisoners :wink:

It will save money

[FakeViking]

A considerable fraction of those in Mountjoy are there for non-payment of fines. If Mouth MacDowell was any use, he would have done addressed this issue in his 10 years in office, as AG and MoJ!