Prisons should not be “clogged up” with non-violent offenders such as shoplifters and people with addiction issues, the justice minister has said.
Jim O’Callaghan said he wanted to ensure prisons are predominantly used for violent offenders.
Mr O’Callaghan’s comments follow a number of recent high-profile violent incidents in Dublin city centre, which resulted in serious injuries and a death.
The incidents were raised in the Dail on Tuesday, when Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald contended that “Dublin city centre is no longer safe”.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (Liam McBurney/PA)
Ms McDonald said an “everyday climate of danger has taken root” in the city because of, in part, a lack of garda presence on the ground.
“Adding to public concern is that those arrested for these attacks had been on bail for other serious offences.
“The man arrested for the attacks in Stoneybatter (last Sunday week) was facing charges in relation to a drug seizure, while two of the men arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing on Saturday have been on bail for other serious offences.”
Ms McDonald said members of the public were questioning whether bail laws were adequate or being enforced.
In an interview with Virgin Media One’s The Tonight Show, Mr O’Callaghan was asked about the stabbing in Dublin over the weekend and described the incident as “horrific, appalling and unacceptable”.
He said the people responsible would be tracked down.
Asked why there had not been more gardai nearby, Mr O’Callaghan said he had been told that there would be roughly 38-39 gardai on the south centre of the city at the time, and a similar amount in the north side of the city.
“There were certainly gardai in the area.”
Mr O’Callaghan said it was his belief that laws allowing judges to refuse bail where they believe there is a risk that the person would go on to commit another serious offence are being applied.
He added that he was in favour of pursuing alternative punishments for non-violent offences, rather than prison.
“The judiciary are aware of the consequences of letting a potentially violent person out, so I don’t think that is happening.
“But listen, I think we need to ensure, predominantly, that if we have prison spaces, they should be used for people who are violent.
“I don’t want to see our prisons clogged up with people who are in there for, you know, crimes of shoplifting or people who have addiction issues. They shouldn’t be in prison.
“But people who are violent and who are a threat to the Irish public need to be put in prison.”
Asked if there was an argument to remove vulnerable people from prisons to free up spaces for more violent offenders, Mr O’Callaghan said: “Certainly.”
He said he was seeking to advance legislation for alternative punishments including community sanctions.
He added: “In the women’s prisons, there’s a huge number of women who are in prison for shoplifting, and they’ve serious addiction issues.
“That obviously needs to be addressed with the support of services. I’m not committed to putting all people who are convicted of offences into prison, but I do believe violent people should be in prison.”
Meanwhile, Mr O’Callaghan also said a proposed centre at the Thornton Hall site in north Duiblin would not be a “super prison”.
He rejected claims that the proposed prison would house 1,500 offenders, adding that 400 would be a “reasonable number” for a new site.