This article is from page 4 of the 2007-12-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
A FINE Gael TD yesterday raised the spectre of criminals with outstand- ing warrants for their arrests roam- ing free in the Clare countryside.
According to Deputy Joe Carey, the criminal justice system is failing people living in these rural areas who are becoming increasingly afraid of being victims of crime. Deputy Carey was responding to revelations that there are over 2,100 outstanding warrants in existence from the Clare area.
In the Dail last week, the Minister of Justice, Brian Lenihan revealed that there are 2,145 outstanding war- rants in Clare.
The breakdown of the figures show that there are 1,521 penal warrants outstanding, 541 bench warrants and 83 committal warrants.
Committal warrants relate to peo- ple convicted of offences in their ab- sence and who should be in prison but have not been arrested, while bench warrants are issued for people who have not turned up in court to answer a charge against them.
In response, Deputy Carey said, “I think these figures clearly show that the Gardai need increased resources to help them do their work compre- hensively and effectively.”
He added, ““The increases are wor- rying particularly as the number of warrants are increasing by about 25 per cent each year. In rural ar- eas, people are rightly worried that criminals with outstanding warrants, who should be in prison, are roam- ing free.
“These people should be brought to justice otherwise they will con-
tinue to re-offend and be a menace to society.”
Deputy Carey added, “The number of outstanding warrants in Clare is equivalent to the population of a large rural town. That is not accept- able. The system is failing people, particularly in rural areas, who are increasingly afraid of being victims of crime.”
A total of 111,453 court warrants remain outstanding nationally, in- cluding 36,000 bench warrants, is- sued after arrested people have failed to turn up in court.