Sinn Féin says it would abolish Special Criminal Court

Sinn Féin has committed to the abolition of the Special Criminal Court in its general election manifesto.

The party said it would repeal the Offences Against the State Acts, which constitutes the SCC, if elected to government.

It will also recruit 3,000 gardaí over five years to restore An Garda Síochána to 14,250 or pre-crisis levels.

Sinn Féin would reverse the closure of Garda stations.

The party says it would invest the money seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau back to frontline services in the communities affected by crime.

Sinn Féin would replace the Special Criminal Court with the "normal rule of law", leader Gerry Adams has said.

Mr Adams said the party position on the SCC has been one it has held for a long time. He indicated it would not be a red line issue for the party, unlike the abolition of the water charges and the property tax.

Murder condemned

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald expressed sympathy with the family of Eddie Hutch snr, who was murdered last night.

The Dublin Central TD said there had been a lack of Garda visibility in her constituency for quite some time. She said people are angry and bemused at the “shock horror response” from the Government.

Ms McDonald said it has been known for a long time that the Garda is not fully and effectively equipped.

She said those who carried out the murders should be locked up and the key should be thrown away and it serves no purpose to play politics with this issue.

Mr Adams said the two recent murders in Dublin were carried out by thugs and criminals. “We must tackle organised crime,” he said.

Consequences

Meanwhile, Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan has warned against the possible consequences of the Special Criminal Court being dismantled if Sinn Féin were to form part of the next government.

"We know in Limerick that that court has been a key factor in getting the gangland bosses out of our communities and making it safer and we need that court to continue and the failure of Sinn Féin to any way endorse that court and the suggestion that members of jury might go into witness protection programmes shows how out of touch Sinn Féin are," Ms O'Sullivan said in Limerick on Tuesday.

“There is a real fear with the possibility of Sinn Féin being in government and the possibility of them having significant number of seats that the Special Criminal Court could be dismantled; that there could be people in power who would be very close to people like ‘Slab’ Murphy who they failed to condemn despite his criminal record. Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald have been completely equivocal in that regard and not condemned him.”

Sinn Féin’s manifesto also commits to increasing the minimum wage to €9.65 an hour.

Sinn Féin’s commitment to abolish water charges and property taxes is also included. There are also proposals to reduce TDs’ salaries to €60,000 and cap the pay of special advisers to €75,000.

Mr Adams said: “For the first time since the foundation of this State there is an opportunity to elect a progressive government and Sinn Féin wants to lead that Government.

"This manifesto sets out the detail of what we want to deliver and it built on the foundations set out in our yearly budget alternatives and our detailed plans on health, housing, childcare, rural Ireland and the economics of Irish unity."

The party is also proposing electing a senior Minister with responsibility for the Irish language.

It will reduce the voting age and extend voting rights to citizens in the North and the diaspora.