THE Government will this evening announce its package of anti-crime measures, including the extra spending of up to £25 million next year, a commitment to build a new prison and widening of powers to allow local authorities to evict suspected drug pushers, as well as legislation to reform the criminal law.
Under intense political and public pressure to take decisive action in the wake of the murder of Ms Veronica Guerin, as well as that of Det Garda Jerry McCabe" in Adare, the Cabinet will meet, this afternoon to finalise the range of immediate actions agreed yesterday between the three Coalition party leaders.
Details of the package will be made public in a high profile press conference tonight at Government Buildings.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa, yesterday held almost two hours of discussions on anti crime measures with the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, the Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, and the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin.
A brief statement issued later by the Taoiseach said agreement had been reached between the three parties in Government and that a number of proposals to tackle crime would be submitted to the Cabinet today.
Tonight's announcement in Government Buildings will also include the establishment of a type of drugs enforcement agency consisting of specialised personnel to concentrate on suspected drug traffickers.
The measures will also include the recruitment of 100 extra gardai and a "civilianisation" programme which would involve more non gardai taking over clerical and administrative duties to free up officers for police work.
In addition to the provision of a prison at Wheatfield, and further progress of the development plans for a jail at Castlerea, Co Roscommon, the Government is also expected to announce closer supervision of persons on early release from custody. This will also mean the employment of extra probation officers.
Legislative changes are likely to include a curtailment of the right to silence in serious criminal matters. Measures to expedite the hearing of criminal cases will be announced.
Meanwhile, with unease over the Government's handling of crime running deep among Labour backbenchers, the party today publishes its own anti drugs policy document entitled The Drugs Menace add Organised Crime.
The document, produced by a committee chaired by Ms Roisin Shortall TD, is to call for the establishment of a drugs enforcement authority and a separate court to "fast track" drug related cases. Labour TDs also want to see the appointment of a senior figure, probably from the judiciary, who would be empowered to seize documents and files of suspected criminals.
According to party sources, the position would be modelled on that of the late Italian magistrate, Mr Giovanni Falcone who led the anti Mafia campaign in Italy and, was killed by a car bomb in 1992.
Crime will dominate this week's Dail business before the House rises for the summer recess on Friday.
The Government will not oppose Fianna Fail's private member's Bill, the Organised Crime (Restraint and Disposal of Illicit Assets) Bill, 1996, when Second Stage of the legislation is debated from 8.30 p.m. to midnight in the House.
Under the proposals, the High Court would be empowered to freeze the assets, for up to five years, of a person who a Garda chief superintendent or the Revenue Commissioners said had procured them through crime.
The Bill, which will be considered in Government time, will go immediately into Committee Stage where it will be amended and pass all stages when the House resumes for a one day sitting on July 25th.
The Seanad will also be called back to debate the legislation so that it can be passed into law by the end of this month.
Fianna Fail has rejected suggestions that the Bill may prove unconstitutional, saying that, when it comes to the disposal of suspects assets, the onus is on the State to prove they were procured illegitimately.
Fianna Fail's justice spokesman, Mr John O'Donoghue, said his party was prepared to accept "any worthwhile amendments" which left the central intention of the Bill intact.
"It is a Bill which needs to be enacted into law without delay. We do not want a repeat of the Brinks Allied fiasco where, at the time of the biggest money laundering operation in the history of the State, over 100 days were allowed to elapse before the money laundering provisions of the Criminal Justice Act, 1994, were signed into law by the Minister for Justice," he added.
The Coalition yesterday decided not to oppose a joint Fianna Fail Progressive Democrats motion calling for a range of specific action.
The joint motion, which will be debated during Fianna Fail's private members' time tonight, calls on the Government to consider, among other things, reform of the bail laws, curtailment of the absolute right to silence in serious criminal matters, measures to protect witnesses in criminal prosecutions and minimum sentences for the use of illegal firearms.